This is a daguerreotype portrait of an elderly man. The image is square and appears to be taken from the chest up. The man has a serious expression, with deep-set eyes and a prominent nose. He is wearing a dark coat over a white shirt and cravat. The image is heavily scratched and shows signs of age and deterioration, with areas of tarnish and discoloration. The background is dark and indistinct. The overall effect is one of ghostly fragility, typical of early photographic processes.