Albumen cabinet card studio portrait of heavily tattooed George Karlavagn, one of the first attractions tattooed by Samuel O'Reilly with his electric tattoo machine. Karlavagn is posed standing in short stage costume and holding a staff with decorative finial, photographed by Eisenmann of New York. The sitter is shown in a studio interior with painted backdrop and decorative pedestal.

The portrait depicts a professional tattooed performer, a type of exhibition figure commonly photographed in American studios during the late nineteenth century.

The mount is printed “Eisenmann Photo New York,” and the reverse bears the imprint “Eisenmann Photographer New York.” A handwritten identification reads “Geo Karlavagn age 28”.