A young knight mounted on a white horse, accompanied by three bloodhounds, is approaching a dark cavern or dense, shadowy woodland. In the right background is sunlit woodland, which becomes dark and indistinct in the left foreground. The horse and rider are seen in profile facing to the left. The rider is a youthful and fair-haired man with a Greek profile, wearing a soft black cap and a full suit of shining silver-coloured armour, complete with star-shaped spurs. Tied to his saddle is his helmet, which is trimmed with pink and black ostrich plumes. He looks directly ahead into the darkness as he raises the cross-hilt of his sword before him; he also carries behind him a black shield painted with a narrow blue cross, and a lance. The horse lowers its head, pricks its ears forward and snorts as it makes its way cautiously into the darkness; the hounds also show that they sense danger by cowering around the hind legs of the horse and looking up imploringly at the rider.