The child wears a peaked cap with German national and state roundels, wears a wool uniform with collar litzen, with a small tri-color flag pin on his chest. Two leather ammo pouches on a leather belt, the buckle obscured by his fingers. He holds an unsheathed sword with knot, the scabbard hanging from his belt. Next to him, up against a chair, are a fur-covered tornister pack with blanket, and an unknown toy rifle. The rifle has significant detail, but does not appear as realistic as the rest of the equipment.
Below the photograph: "CARL PAGELS | TREUEN i/V. Bahnhofstr. 20.".
On the reverse, in a wreath: "Atelier | für moderne | Photographie | Herm. Krausse Nachs: | Carl Lagels | Treuen i/V. | Bahnhofstr. 20". Below that, "Dankschreiben Sr. Kgl. des | Grossherzogs v. Oldenburg, | Sr. Kgl. H. d. Prinzen Christian v. Dänemark | sowie Sr. H. des Herzogs Ernst II | von Sachsen-Altenburg.".