A man with dark, curling hair and a pointed moustache turns his head sharply to the left, his gaze fixed directly outward with an alert, intense expression. His face is strongly lit from the left, casting deep shadows on the right side of his cheek and under his chin, which gives the features a sculpted, three-dimensional quality. The sitter wears a crisp, white ruff collar that stands out against the dark, loosely painted background and the deep, nearly black clothing.

A metallic glint on his right shoulder suggests a piece of armour, its surface rendered with swift, reflective brushstrokes that catch the light. The background is a warm, brownish haze, painted with broad, swirling strokes that create a sense of depth but offer no specific setting or context. The brushwork is varied: the face is modelled with smooth, careful transitions of colour, while the hair and clothing are treated more freely, with visible strokes and a sense of movement.

The composition is tightly focused on the head and shoulders, with the figure filling most of the frame and emerging from the darkness, heightening the sense of immediacy and presence. Subtle touches of red and pink in the cheeks and nose bring warmth and vitality to the otherwise restrained palette. A faint highlight runs along the edge of the ruff and the armour, guiding the eye along the contours of the figure. The title identifies the subject as Thomas Wentworth, First Earl of Strafford, and the artist as Anthony van Dyck.

The use of oil paint on canvas allows van Dyck to achieve both the subtle modelling of flesh and the expressive, loose handling of background and costume.