A man with grey hair and a moustache stands turned slightly to the right, his face lit from the left and gazing directly outward. His expression is grave and contemplative, with deep lines around his eyes and mouth, and his cheeks are tinged with red. He wears a deep red coat with a fur collar and a matching beret, the rich fabric rendered in broad, textured brushstrokes that dissolve into shadow at the lower edge.

His hands are clasped loosely in front of him, their outlines softly blurred and merging with the dark background. Light falls most strongly on his forehead, nose, and the upper part of his coat, while the rest of the figure recedes into a muted, brownish gloom. The background is an indistinct, shadowy brown, with no visible objects or setting, focusing all attention on the sitter's face and upper body.

The surface shows a range of paint handling: the face is built up with delicate, translucent layers, while the clothing and background are more loosely brushed, with visible strokes and scumbled textures. The composition is tightly cropped, with the figure filling most of the frame and the head placed just above centre, emphasizing the sitter's presence. Self-Portrait at the Age of 63 was painted by Rembrandt in 1669, the year of his death. X-ray analysis by the National Gallery has revealed that the beret was originally larger and white, and the hands were first painted holding a paintbrush and maulstick.

The artist used a limited palette, including lead white, ochres, and red lakes, as noted by the National Gallery's technical examination. Self-Portrait at the Age of 63 is an example of Dutch Golden Age painting, and shows Rembrandt's focus on the effects of light, texture, and psychological presence in his late works.