This print shows an actor Mr Lyon as Faustus. The actor is dressed in a knee length black tunic decorated with sections of gold and pink at the waist, hem and centre front. He is also wearing a crimson cape and cap trimmed with pink and gold feathers. His posture suggests fear, with his left hand raised to ward off an invisible presence and a drawn dagger in his right. The scene behind the actor suggests a workshop devoted to dark magic. There is a shadowy skeleton in an archway to the left of the figure and a burning brazier to his right.

The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, normally known as Doctor Faustus, is a play by Christopher Marlowe, based on the German legend of Faust or Faustus in which a man sold his soul to the devil in exchange for power and knowledge. It was first performed by the Admiral's Men in the late 1590s.

Tinsel prints were created from etched portraits of theatrical stars in popular roles they played on the London stage. They were hand-painted in watercolour and decorated with scraps of material and tinsel additions. They were popular during the first half of the 19th century and were considered an adult, rather than a child's hobby. By the 1830s it was possible to buy the tinsel, leather and feather ornaments to go with each image.