A young man with a pointed beard and mustache sits facing forward, his head slightly turned to the right, his gaze directed just past the viewer. His hair is dark and neatly combed back, and his face is modeled with thick, directional strokes of yellow, green, and ochre paint that give a sense of volume and light. He wears a blue jacket with orange buttons over a high-collared white shirt and a green vest, the folds and seams of the jacket described in swift, parallel lines of blue and violet.

The background is a flat field of green, animated by swirling yellow and orange arabesques and small, dark teardrop shapes, creating a decorative, patterned effect that contrasts with the solidity of the figure. The light falls from the left, illuminating the left side of his face and casting subtle shadows along his jaw and under his chin. The brushwork is energetic and visible throughout, with short, rhythmic strokes in the face and jacket, and longer, looping lines in the background.

The composition is tightly framed, with the figure occupying nearly the entire canvas, his shoulders cropped at the edges, and his head set against the vibrant backdrop. At the lower right, the signature 'Vincent Arles 89' is inscribed in bold red-orange paint, standing out against the blue of the jacket. Portrait of Doctor Felix Rey was painted by Vincent van Gogh in January 1889, while the artist was in Arles. The painting displays the 'Japanising' style that characterizes van Gogh's work from this period, evident in the flat, decorative background and the bold, expressive color contrasts.