The main subject is a portrait of a young woman viewed from the side, looking back over her shoulder toward the viewer. She is wearing a distinctive turban consisting of a bright, cerulean blue fabric wrapped around her head, with a long, pale golden-yellow cloth falling down her back. A singular, oversized pear-shaped earring catches the light, glowing white against the dark background.
The painting uses a stark, high-contrast composition against a deep, near-black backdrop that emphasizes the subject's soft facial features. She wears a brown jacket with a white collar visible at her neck. Her expression is enigmatic, with slightly parted lips and wide, luminous eyes that suggest a moment of interrupted motion.
The artwork is rendered in the style of Dutch Golden Age realism, characterized by its masterful use of light and shadow, or chiaroscuro. The texture of the paint is visible, showing fine craquelure across the surface that indicates the age of the original work. The color palette is dominated by the earthy tones of the jacket, the bold blue of the headpiece, and the warm, glowing peach tones of her skin, all set against the dramatic, void-like darkness of the background.