A dramatic close portrait of a bearded man surfacing from profound darkness, in the tenebrist Baroque manner. A single sharp beam of light strikes from the upper left, carving out his forehead, the ridge of his nose and a band of his weathered cheek, while shadow swallows the rest. His gaze is grave and direct. The background is absolute black, undetailed. Skin built with sculptural contrast — brilliant highlights of lead white over warm flesh tones, shadows of raw umber and ivory black, a faint warm reflected light caught in the beard. Render as a theatrical oil painting with extreme chiaroscuro, confident impasto in the illuminated areas and edges dissolving into the dark. High drama, visible brushwork and canvas weave, natural texture, no oversharpening.