A young man with reddish-brown curls gazes outward, his head turned slightly to the left, his eyes meeting the viewer's with a calm and measured expression. He wears a dark, soft toque set low on his forehead, its texture rendered in deep, velvety tones that absorb the warm light falling from the left. A heavy gold chain, meticulously painted to catch the light, drapes across his shoulders and chest, its links glinting against the dark fabric of his cloak.

The background is a soft, glowing brown, subtly gradated to frame the figure and set off the pale, luminous skin of his face and neck. The light strikes the left side of his face and the gold chain, leaving the right side in gentle shadow, modeling his features with a sense of depth and immediacy. The brushwork is smooth and controlled, especially in the rendering of flesh, while the hair is built up with delicate, curling strokes that suggest volume and softness.

The composition is oval, focusing attention tightly on the bust-length figure and eliminating any distraction from the setting. Small details, such as the subtle highlights on the lips and the glint in the eyes, contribute to the sense of presence and psychological intensity. No secondary figures or objects are visible in the composition; the figure is alone against the background.

The lower right corner of the painting is especially dark, with the form of the subject’s cloak blending almost completely into the shadow. The background transitions from a lighter brown near the head to deeper, richer browns toward the edges, creating a soft halo effect around the figure. The paint handling in the cloak is looser and more suggestive, with broad, blended strokes that contrast with the precise treatment of the face and chain. Self-portrait Wearing a Toque and a Gold Chain is painted by Rembrandt in 1633.

The subject is the artist himself, depicted as a painter and adorned with a bijou and hat, as described in the museum's record.