The copperplate was probably in the sale by Clement de Jonghe (1679, as 63 bedelaar met een stockjen). The next, anonymous owner added two dots (ca. 1700). It later appeared in the sale by Pieter de Haan (1767, lot 42, together with B130) and was sold via Fouquet to Claude-Henri Watelet (1786). It then became part of the set of plates subsequently owned and used for printing Recueils by Pierre-François Basan, Henri-Louis Basan (his nr 1421), Auguste Jean (ca 1809), Veuve Jean, Auguste and Michel Bernard (1846) and Robert Lee Humber (1937). It was sold at the Artemis sale in London (1993) and is now in a private collection in the USA.

Gersaint identified the man as a Jew, probably on the basis of the tall fur hat. An impression in the De Burgy sale was referred to as Een Boertje met een Stokje en een hooge Mutz op. Extra raar (A peasant with a stick and a high cap. Very rare).

The large number of copies (New Hollstein lists twelve), made over a long period, indicates that the print has always been a popular one. There are five copies in the same direction. Copy B is by Anton Overlaat, in combination with the old woman of NH 45, signed and dated 1670 (67 x 92 mm). Copy E is by Jean Sauveur LeGros, signed L.G. (84 x 52 mm, WB 12). Copy I is published by Moser & Harris (two states, 214 x 272 mm, WB 6?). Copy J is a lithography, signed by Godefroy Engelmann (95 x62 mm). Copy K is anonymous (100 x 75 mm, WB 1).
There are seven copies in reverse. Copy A is by Anthonie de Vos, signed and dated 1677 (66 x 37 mm, WB 8).
Copy C is by François Vivares in the 200 Etchings (his nr 4, 83 x 45 mm, WB 3). It is included in the collection ‘Rembrandt in Black & White’, nr 522.
Copy D is signed Francisco Novelli inci (his nr 27, two states, 83 x 45 mm, WB 2). Copy F is signed with a monogram A.F. (71 x 49 mm, WB 7).
Copy G is anonymous (two states, 94 x 65 mm). Copy H is anonymous, signed SH 1808 (80 x 55 mm, WB 5).
Copy L is anonymous (76 x 49 mm, WB 4, not traced by NH). According to WB it is a poor modern copy.

The etching is considered as special by Bartsch, Coppier, De Claussin, Blanc and Wilson.

All authors list one state only, with later impressions by P. Basan, H.L. Basan, Jean, Bernard and Beaumont. NHD lists two states, the only difference being the addition of two dots in the upper right corner by an unknown owner.
Later impressions have a minor horizontal scratch just below the outstretched hand and a curved scratch below the left man’s foot, near the dt of the signature (NU, not NH).

According to Hinterding, reasonable impressions can still be drawn from the plate, that was probably rebitten, but never reworked.

According to Nowell-Usticke the impressions in the Recueils of P. Basan and H.L. Basan are fine. 

Recueil de H.L. Basan – Page 12              NH: 2^nd and final state /WB: only state.
A somewhat lighter impression from a slightly dirty plate. The two dots well visible, the curved lines not.

Recueil de A. Beaumont –  Sheet 52        NH: 2^nd and final state /WB: only state.
A strong impression.

In the 2nd state: Countermark DG.

H 164, BB 39-B, G 131, M 140, Mz 129, RA 384, Cl 133, W 135, Bl 101, Du 132, CD 125
Filedt Kok 1972, p. 103; Hinterding 1993-94, p. 298; Hinterding 2008, p 271-272;

New Hollstein: 2nd and final state/White-Boon: only state
A good and dark impression, with the two dots in the upper right corner well visible, indicating a 2nd state (NH). Probably before the Basan impressions since the short diagonal scratch, typical of later impressions, is not visible.
Sheet 88 x 48 mm, thread margins of approx. 2 mm all around (+13%).
Indiscernible and proprietary watermark, horizontal chain lines at approx. 30 mm.

It may have been in the collection of Jan Gijsbert Verstolk van Soelen (Lugt 2490) based on an inscription verso. This collection, including more than 800 prints by Rembrandt, was sold in parts in Amsterdam between 1847 and 1867.
In the collection of Dr. August Sträter (1810-1897, Aachen, Lugt 787), his collection mark in black ink verso.
It was probably in the posthumous sale of his collection with H.G. Gutekunst in Stuttgart in May 1898, in which 250 prints by Rembrandt were sold.

Rembrandt, fotograaf avant-la-lettre, Museum De Reede (Antwerp), January – May 2023;
Rembrandt, 17th century photographer, Daegu Art Museum (Korea), November 2023 – March 2024;
Rembrandt, de fotograaf, Westfries Museum (Hoorn), June 2024 – January 2025;