Charles-Ernest Lullier (1838–1891) is depicted in this albumen carte-de-visite bust portrait, presented on a card with a pale blue ruled border. Lullier began his career as a naval officer before entering republican politics in opposition to the Second Empire, and he rose to serve as commander-in-chief of the National Guard during the Paris Commune of 1871. The card carries no photographer's imprint on the reverse.

The subject is shown in a three-quarter bust, turned slightly left, with a direct, composed gaze. His dark double-breasted frock coat is worn open at the collar, revealing a striped cravat knotted loosely at the throat with a soft bow. His dark hair rises in thick, loose waves above the temples, and a full, close-cropped mustache anchors his expression. The plain sepia background is unadorned, keeping all attention on the subject.

Condemned to death by the Third Council of War in September 1871, Lullier had his sentence commuted to life of hard labor at the penal colony of Nouméa. He benefited from the amnesty law of 1880, returned to France in January 1881, and published a memoir of his imprisonment titled *Mes cachots* before standing unsuccessfully for the legislature.

The reverse bears the printed subject name "Lullier" in purple ink at top, and a pencil inscription reading "Gen. Charles Lullier," with a catalog notation "5/18/10 LOBARX1 E4" at the lower edge.