The man is depicted in profile with a turn to the left. His left leg is put forward. He is wearing a long blue shirt with a short white jacket with sleeves to the elbows on top of it. There is a red edging on the sleeves and the bottom of the jacket. On the back of the jacket is a red circle with a black hieroglyph in the centre. Dark trousers are tucked in white leg warmers. On his feet are black fabric shoes with yellow turned up toes. The man is wearing a red hat with a black brim. A thin black braid to the waist can be seen from under the hat. The etching comes from the album "Chinese Customs and National Costumes", which includes 60 images of Chinese people engaged in various activities. An explanation in German accompanies each image; some are written in French. In the eighteenth century, artists in Canton (Guangzhou) in southern China created such paintings for Europeans seeking to learn more about China and its people.