A young man and an elderly woman occupy this quarter plate daguerreotype in a pose of quiet closeness, the man leaning slightly forward with his right hand raised to his temple while the woman sits beside him in a carved parlor chair. The process and the man's frock coat with its satin lapels and stock tie suggest a date in the early to mid 1850s. No photographer's imprint is visible on the mat or case, and both subjects remain unidentified.

The man wears a dark frock coat over a satin waistcoat, his dark hair parted to the side and his direct gaze fixed toward the camera. The woman is dressed entirely in dark silk, her white ruffled cap tied beneath the chin with a broad ribbon bow, and her hands rest in her lap, one lightly folded over the other. The ornate pierced-back parlor chair visible behind her right shoulder adds depth to the composition.

The pair are posed with an ease and physical proximity consistent with a close family relationship, and the generational contrast between the two sitters gives the portrait considerable presence. The leather case cover bears an embossed floral and scroll design with gilt border detailing on all four edges.