The copperplate was not part of any of the early sales or collections and is almost certainly not in existence anymore.

It is generally assumed that the sitter is either Rembrandt´s father or his brother. There is definitely a likeliness with a painting which is called ‘Rembrandt´s Father’ in the Staatliche Museen in Sloss Wilhelmshöhe (Kassel), but both the correctness of the title and the attribution to Rembrandt are disputed.
There are also similarities, like oriental costumes and the clumsy way of handling the burin, with the way Rembrandt has portrayed his mother the same year in The artist’s mother seated, in an oriental headdress (B 348/NHD 86). The idea that these two are pendants is supported by watermarks that show they were both printed on the same paper, at the same moment.
J. Veth has suggested that the listed painting shows Rembrandts older brother Gerrit, who died in September 1631.

Hinterding noticed that this is one of the first prints in which Rembrandt experimented with biting in various phases. The face is very lightly etched, whereas the beard and fur cap are added later, much heavier.

The likeliness to the painting in Kassel (Corpus C30, Bredius 78) was first noticed by Hind. It shows the same model in reverse, but it is now considered to be made in the workshop, probably by Gerard Dou.
Hind also points at a painting by Lievens (R 73).
Münz points at Bredius 163 (now in the Albertina), but the similarity is doubtful and the portrait is in the same direction.

NH lists four copies, of which two in the same direction. Copy A is by Costantino Cumano, inscribed R inv and Cumano Sc (158 x 127 mm, WB 2). Copy D is by Ignace Joseph De Claussin (198 x 157 mm, WB 1).
There and two copies in reverse. Copy B is also by Costantino Cumano, inscribed R inv and Cumano Sc (157 x 125 mm, WB 3). Copy C is anonymous (146 x 122 mm, NH c).

The plate is made by a pupil according to Coppier.
The plate is not by Rembrandt according to Singer.

NH lists five states, all contemporary. The 3rd state is a ‘new’ one. Most other authors list four states, Nowell-Usticke: one trial print and four states.
The 1st state (NH, WB, R675/NU trial print A) is the large plate (146 x 130 mm) without monogram.
In the 2nd state (NH, WB, R676/1st state NU) a monogram and date are added\. In later impressions the face is lighter and the beard and moustache darker.
In the 3rd state (NH only) the lower right hand is burnished away\ and the sleeve covered by fur.
In the 4th state (NH/3rd state WB, R677-678/2nd state NU) the face is worked over and the right hand and arm are erased, creating a large space to the right edge.
In the 5th state (NH/4th state WB, R679/3rd state NU) the plate is cut on the right side approx. 7 mm. The width is then 123 mm. The shading of the left nostril is strengthened. The face and the hat are rather worn out.
In the 4st state (NU) the outlines of the eyes are changed.

Of the 1st state only three impressions are known. There is only one impression of the 3rd state (NHD), in Warsaw. Of the 5th and final state at least six editions were printed.

In the 2nd state: Strasbourg bend with cm NA (c. 1629-31); Arms (c. 1631-32); Basel crosier (1631).
In the 4th state: Basilisk (2 ed. c. 1632 and c. 1634).
In the 5th state, Arms of Ravensburg; Arms of Württemberg (c. 1634-36); Strasbourg lily with cm BA (1635) and with cm LB; Foolscap with five-pointed collar (2 ed. c. 1639-40 and 1645) and with cm LB (c. 1650) for a total of 7 editions.

H 53, BB 31-J, G 243, M 77, Mz 46, RA 675-680, Cl 260, W 265, Bl 267, Du 279, CD 48
J.Veth, in Onze Kunst, December 1905; Hinterding 2008, p. 461-463; Baas 2015, p. 88-89;

NH: 4th state of V/WB: 3rd state of IV.
A very good, richly inked impression before the downsizing of the plate in the 5th state. A short repaired tear at the upper right, some touches of grey wash at the lower left side.
Sheet 147/148 x 131/132 mm, thread margins of approx. 1 mm all around.
Watermark: Basilisk (A&F variant B.c.) to be dated in 1634 (Hinterding 2006), vertical chain lines.

In the collection of the Duke of Buckingham, according to a handwritten note in graphite verso.

Rembrandt in Zwart-Wit, Westfries Museum – Hoorn, Het Markiezenhof – Bergen op Zoom, Stedelijk Museum Zutphen, Het Hannemahuis – Harlingen, Museum Gouda, Jan ten Horne Museum – Weert, Stadsmuseum Harderwijk, March 2013-August 2015;
Rembrandt in Black & White: Schloβ Britz (Berlin), Chateau de Penthes (Geneva), November 2015-October 2016;
Rembrandt, 17th century photographer, Daegu Art Museum (Korea), November 2023 – March 2024;
Rembrandt, de fotograaf, Westfries Museum (Hoorn), June 2024 – January 2025;