The copperplate was probably in the sale by Clement de Jonghe (1679, as 70 neersiende oude man). It later appeared in the sale by Jean de Bary (1759, lot 761) and was sold for Fl 515 to Kleinhens and was later owned by Claude-Henri Watelet. It was sold in his sale in 1786 and became part of the set of plates subsequently owned and used for printing Recueils by Pierre-François Basan, Henri-Louis Basan (his nr 1441), Auguste Jean (ca 1809), Veuve Jean, Auguste and Michel Bernard (1846), Alvin-Beaumont (1906) and Robert Lee Humber (1937). It was sold at the Artemis sale in London (1993) and is now in a private collection in Switzerland (Exhibited Rembrandthuis December 2009).

There is one anonymous copy in the same direction (copy F), inscribed Rembrandt (95 x 93 mm).
There are six copies in reverse, with large differences in size. Copy A is signed by Georg Leopold Hertel, dated 1701 (115 x 115 mm, WB 2). Copy B is by John Holland, signed and dated J H 1756 (109 x 1044 mm). Copy C is by Thomas Worlidge (116 x 103 mm, WB 1, there listed as ‘same direction’). Copy D is by Ludwig Wilhelm Busch (57 x 43 mm).
Copy E is anonymous, previously attributed to Costantino Cumano, inscribed Rmbrandt (117 x 108 mm, WB 3). Copy G is anonymous (111 x 84 mm, NHD g).

The etching is considered as special by Blanc.
The plate was made by a pupil according to Coppier.
Münz thinks that this etchings belongs to a group of etchings started by Ferdinand Bol and completed by Rembrandt, which seems to be a rather unexpected sequence.
The plate is not by Rembrandt according to Middleton, Seidlitz, Campbell Dodgson and Singer.

NH lists four states, the final two not by Rembrandt. Most other authors list one state, Nowell-Usticke five states. From his 1st state there are later impressions by P.Basan, H.L. Basan, Jean, Bernard and Beaumont.
In the 1st state (NH, only state WB, NU) the corners are square. There are fine vertical scratches in the background.
In the 2nd state (NH, NU, R784) the corners are rounded, vertical scratches appear in the background. In later impressions by P.Basan (NU) the background is clean and the corners are slightly rounded.
In the 3rd state (NH, NU H.L. Basan) the plate is carefully rebitten. A fine, slightly curved slipped stroke of approx. 10 mm runs between the top of the cap and the right margin.
In the 4th state (NH, NU, Jean) there is much retouching in the dark areas, all the dark areas are worn out. In the 5th state (NU, Bernard, Beaumont) the dark parts are further retouched.

Of the 1st state (NH) there is an impression in the Koenigs Collection, recto of the drawing of Three studies of a man in a fur cap (Benesch 370).
Nowell-Usticke considers the impressions in the Recueil de Basan to be fair.

In the 2nd state: Strasbourg lily with BA (1635); Paschal lamb (c. 1651); Arms of Amsterdam (3 ed.); Countermark ZZ; Foolscap with seven-pointed collar; Seven Provinces (2 ed., one > 1665).

H 130, BB 35-3, G 268, M 126, Mz 54, RA 784, Cl 287, W 292, Bl 286, Du 287, CD 269
Baas 2015, p. 108-109;

NH: 2nd state of IV/WB: only state
A good, well-inked impression on thick laid paper, with strong contrasts. The slipped stroke at the right of the head is not yet visible, confirming a contemporary 2nd state.
Size: 117 x 107/106 mm, narrow margins of ca 2 mm. all around (+11 %).
No watermark, vertical chain lines at approx. 31 mm.

Rembrandt, de fotograaf, Westfries Museum (Hoorn), June 2024 – January 2025;