A bearded man stands at the center, his face illuminated against a dark, shadowy background. He gazes directly outward, his eyes wide and his expression solemn, framed by long hair and a thick beard. A broad-brimmed felt hat, lined with red velvet and adorned with a large feather, sits atop his head, casting a shadow over his brow.

The man wears a heavy brown velvet cloak with a black collar that drapes over his shoulders like a cape, revealing a green doublet beneath. Around his neck, a double gold chain glints in the light, and below it hangs a knight’s cross, which rests on his chest. The painting’s surface reveals vigorous, expressive brushwork, especially in the cloak, the falcon’s feathers, and the background, where paint is applied in thick, textured layers.

Touches of red in the hat’s lining and the falcon’s jesses add warmth to the otherwise subdued palette of browns, blacks, and ochres. A large horse’s head emerges from the upper right corner, its features rendered in loose, shadowy brushstrokes and partially obscured by darkness. Light falls most strongly on the man’s left cheek, the falcon’s breast, and the feather in his hat, while the rest of the painting dissolves into deep brown and black shadows.

Hints of yellow are visible in the large feather, contrasting with the predominantly dark and earthy tones throughout the composition. The paint is applied with broad, textured strokes, especially along the hat’s brim and the horse’s face, creating a sense of movement and depth at the edges of the scene. Rembrandt painted this portrait in 1661, and it has been known as both The Knight with the Falcon and Man with a Falcon (possibly St. Bavo).