The image shows a man in a portrait depicted from the chest up in an oval frame. He has short, neatly combed hair and a smooth complexion. The man is wearing ceremonial ecclesiastical clothing, including a cloak, a high-collared garment, and a visible chain around his neck. The frame is decorated with an ornate coat of arms featuring papal insignia at the bottom center. The background inside the oval is plain, while the outside is bordered. The name "PIVS IX" and title "PONTIFEX MAXIMVS" are inscribed on a stone panel below the oval.