Head-and-shoulders, classical-style small-scale plaster bust of Airy on a round socle, the sitter shown in middle life, head turned a quarter to his left, hair combed and parted to the right and with a robe draped loosely round the shoulders with its hem over the left.

This small plaster bust has been painted with cream oil paint and subsequently varnished. It is identified by an inscription on the back as 'Professor Airy / 1857/ Original' and bears other ambiguous marks on the base: ' ORIGINAL / 1 CAST EA' and incised on the reverse 'WILLIAMS / SW1'. The last may be the name of the cast supplier or modeller, though there is no obviously identifiable sculptor of this name for the date.