The image is a painting of an old man with a long white beard and a red robe. He is sitting at a table with a skull on the left side of the table. The man is holding a book in his hands and appears to be engrossed in reading it. He has a serious expression on his face and is looking down at the pages of the book. The background is dark and the overall mood of the painting is somber. The painting is done in a realistic style with loose brushstrokes and vibrant colors.