The study for a portrait of the writer Gustav Falke (1853-1916) shows him in a bust portrait, seated in front of a neutral background. His bearded face is turned to the right in half-profile and slightly reddened. His dark eyes look calmly out of the picture past the viewer. His short, slightly greying, medium-blond hair is loosely brushed back over his forehead.
The sitter is wearing a brown suit. A white collar can be seen over his black scarf. The back of a chair is indicated behind the lyricist's left arm. Reverse: Inventory number of the MHG "1938,71", with chalk "L 2", a "16" crossed out twice, as well as a "7" opposite the "16", also to be found at the bottom edge: a sticker from the MHG
