An 8 x 10 solar enlargement with hand coloring presents a bust-length portrait of an unidentified Union officer set within a softly vignetting oval frame on an unadorned cream-toned mount. The image was produced using the solar camera enlargement process widely employed in the 1860s and 1870s to create display-sized portraits from smaller original negatives, with hand-applied pigment added selectively to enhance detail. No photographer's imprint is visible on the mount.

The officer wears a dark Union frock coat with a standing collar and a visible row of large military buttons down the chest front. A shoulder strap on the left shoulder bears what appears to be a bar insignia indicating commissioned rank. He has dark, side-parted hair, a full mustache with a small chin beard, and meets the viewer with a composed, direct gaze.

Solar enlargements of this scale were commonly commissioned by families of serving or fallen soldiers, suggesting this portrait held personal commemorative significance beyond routine studio portraiture. The hand coloring applied to the buttons and shoulder strap reflects a common enhancement practice of the period intended to emphasize rank and uniform detail.