A man with red hair and a beard looks out from the centre of the canvas, his face emerging from the shadows beneath the brim of a dark felt hat. The light falls strongly from the left, illuminating the left side of his face and casting the right side into deep shadow, which gives the portrait a dramatic sense of depth. His coat is dark and merges into the background at the lower edge, while a glimpse of a blue-and-white striped shirt collar is visible at the neck.

The paint is applied with a confident hand, especially in the modelling of the face, where subtle gradations of colour and brushwork create the effect of flesh and bone beneath the skin. The composition is tightly focused on the head and shoulders, filling almost the entire frame, so that the viewer confronts the subject at close range. Small details, such as the reddish highlights in the beard and the faint lines around the eyes, are rendered with careful attention, contributing to the lifelike presence of the figure.

The hat sits squarely on the sitter’s head, its crown and brim painted in dark, nearly black tones that absorb the surrounding light. There are no secondary figures or objects present in the composition; the subject stands alone against the background. The upper left and right corners of the painting show faint, uneven patches where the red background thins and the canvas texture is visible.

The light strikes most intensely on the left temple and cheekbone, leaving the right ear and jaw in near-total darkness. The brushwork in the background varies from swirling, loose strokes to more linear marks, especially near the edges and corners. The lower edge of the painting features rough, visible brush marks and a subtle transition from the dark coat to the reddish background. The Van Gogh Museum lists this work in its collection, confirming its attribution and date.