First, he's positioned the man at a slight angle so that his empty sleeve is prominent in the frame. It's set deliberately against a stark white background, empty of course, like the man's sleeve. This absence is offset dramatically by the way the photographer has "loaded" the right side of the frame with information: the two large tassel curtain tie backs, the curtain itself and his hand, draped lazily across the "second arm" in this image-the arm of the chair--and creating a kind of visual echo so that it actually looks like a third tassel. His crossed legs and hint of piping running along them complete this side of the frame nicely. The overall impression is one of harmony--the harmony of shapes in a frame, and the man in harmony with his surroundings--at least on one side of the photograph.
It measures 4 x 3 inches and is clipped on its corners. Please contact me with any questions and I'll respond promptly.