The main subject is a classic film poster illustration featuring Charlie Chaplin and Paulette Goddard. Chaplin is depicted in his signature bowler hat and dark suit, holding a cane, while Goddard sits beside him in a simple blue dress. They are positioned perched atop a large, dark, jagged industrial cog that dominates the bottom half of the composition. Their expressions are soft and intimate, evoking the sentimental tone of early cinema.
Behind the figures, the background transitions from a hazy, industrial cityscape to a warm, peachy orange sky. Tall, smokestack-like structures silhouette against the upper portion of the frame, suggesting a bustling, mechanized factory environment. The artistic style is reminiscent of 1930s lithography, with bold, blocky typography announcing the title "Modern Times" in a prominent red and white font near the bottom of the central cog.
The overall colour palette is muted and atmospheric, utilizing deep blacks for the industrial elements and figures, contrasted against the lighter, dusty tones of the industrial backdrop. The work is signed by "Ballester" on the left side of the cog, and the composition effectively balances the human element against the stark, cold imagery of the machine age. The aesthetic is quintessential Art Deco, capturing both the grit of industrialization and the romance of the era's storytelling.