The body is depicted from a low, almost foreshortened viewpoint, with the feet closest to the viewer and the head turned upward. The figure's hands are open, the fingers curled slightly, and the palms face upward, revealing marks at the center of each hand. Similar marks are visible on the tops of both feet, suggesting wounds.

He rests on a loosely sketched drapery that curves around his form, providing a sense of softness beneath his body. Fine charcoal lines describe the contours of the muscles and limbs, while areas of deeper shadow are built up with denser, cross-hatched strokes. The sheet is filled with subtle gradations of light and shadow, especially beneath the figure’s legs and along the right side of the composition.

Above the body, the date '1505' appears at the top of the page, and below the feet is a monogram formed from the letters 'AD.' The head is tilted back so that the face is partially obscured, with the mouth slightly open and the beard rendered in short, curved strokes. Hair falls away from the head in loose, wavy lines, merging with the shaded area beneath the neck and shoulders. No secondary figures are present anywhere in the composition; the entire scene is occupied by a single figure and the drapery beneath it.

The background is left blank except for the faint outline of the cloth, with no indication of setting or additional objects. The upper left and lower right corners of the sheet show visible foxing and small brown spots scattered across the paper. The linework varies from delicate, fine contours in the fingers and toes to broader, more heavily worked areas of shadow under the body and drapery. The overall composition is highly focused, with no background landscape or architectural elements, directing all attention to the figure itself.

The drawing is executed on laid paper with charcoal, as stated in the object records. Albrecht Dürer is the sole creator named for this work, and the museum lists it under his name. The Cleveland Museum of Art holds this drawing in its collection.