This expressive portrait captures a man from the chest up, viewed in three-quarter profile. The subject wears a dark, fuzzy cap and a thick, green coat. A stark, white bandage is prominently wrapped around the side of his head, covering his ear. He holds a pipe between his lips, with plumes of stylized smoke curling upward into the space on the right side of the composition. His gaze is intense and direct, directed toward the viewer.
The painting uses a high-contrast color palette, dominated by a vibrant, solid red background that transitions into a warmer orange tone at the top. The bold green of the coat stands out against the red backdrop, creating a striking visual tension. The brushwork is thick, visible, and rhythmic, following the contours of his face and the folds of his clothing.
The overall mood is one of somber introspection and stoicism. The harshness of the colors combined with the bandage suggests a state of recovery and psychological weight. The application of paint is energetic and textured, characteristic of a post-impressionist style, where the focus lies as much on the emotional resonance of the color and stroke as it does on the literal representation of the figure.