The subject of this work may be Mars, the god of war. The head and shoulders are those of a warrior, shown with his body in profile to the right and his head turned to the front. His left hand strokes his beard. He is wearing a black, parcel gilt helmet with ostrich feathers. His chest is naked but he has armour over his upper arm. The picture was cleaned in 1982, revealing the incongruous surround.

When it was purchased by Charles II from Frizell in 1662 the painting was described as: 'One Head of Mars with helmet & feathers of the painting of Manfred[o]'. Although of good quality, the picture is not acceptable as by Manfredi. It has a somewhat Northern air, and has more recently been ascribed to Martin Hermann Faber (1586-1648), a German painter who visited Italy in 1611, worked with Louis Finson, a French follower of Caravaggio, and in 1618 settled in Emden where he remained until his death.