A young boy with long hair is shown in profile, his face brought into relief by a strong light coming from the upper left. He wears a fantasy costume—a heavy red cloak with rich decoration at the shoulder—suggesting a role in a history painting and marking this work as a tronie, or anonymous character head. In this painting, like in many other works, Van Dijck displays a soft handling of flesh and striking treatment of hair, with distinct strokes of heavy pigment used to describe golden locks caught in the light.