The copperplate was probably in the collection of Clement de Jonghe (1679, as 31 Vrouwtjen ande putt). It was then in the sale of Jean de Bary (1759, lot 43) and sold to Busserus and later Claude-Henri Watelet (1718-1786). It then became part of the set of plates subsequently owned and used for printing Recueils by Pierre-François Basan (1723-1797), Henri-Louis Basan (his nr 1393), 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 the Worcester Museum of Art (UK).

John 4, verses 5-42.
On his way to Galilee, Jesus passes through the non-Jewish area of Samaria. A Samaritan woman stands near the well of Jacob in Sychar. Jesus asks her for some water and starts a conversation with her. Since he seems to know her full history she recognizes him as the Messiah. The disciples, visible in the right portion of the etching, are surprised about his conversation with a Samarian woman, not exactly friends of the Jews.

Rembrandt made an etching of the same scene 24 years earlier (B 71) in which the scene is placed among ruins. In this one, however, the scene has a Mediterranean atmosphere. It is one of the last etchings Rembrandt made.

In the background we see a horse with rider on the road to the village

Münz and Tümpel mention various prints that could have served as an example, but the most likely candidate is a painting by Giorgione, which appears in the inventory of Rembrandt in 1656. It was half-owned by Pieter de la Tombe. However, Valentiner has identified this painting as one by Moretto da Brescia (now in the Accademia Carrera in Bergamo) or a copy of it. According to Gary Schwarz a number of Italian prints and paintings contain elements of this etching, but none has served as a direct example.

An engraving made around 1510 by Giulio Campagnola, in itself a copy after a painting by Titian, may also have served as an example. It shows a similar scene (in reverse) including the well and the bowl, but a different background.

Rembrandt made a drawing of the same subject (Benesch 978), now in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.
And possibly two paintings, of which the authenticity is under discussion (in 1655 now in New York and in 1659, now in Berlin).

There is a copy in reverse by Hertel (113 x 151 mm, without the arch, WB).

This etching is considered a special one by Coppier, but is the work of a pupil according to Singer.

The New Hollstein lists five states of which the final two not by Rembrandt. Most other authors list three states, Nowell-Usticke five, from his 4th state there are later impressions by P.F. Basan, H.Basan, Jean, Bernard and Beaumont.
In the 1st state the etching uses only the lower half of a plate measuring 205 x 160 mm. On the well the signature states the year 1657.
In the 2nd state (NH, WB, R221-222, NU) the plate is halved (the cut-off part is used for B 200).
In the 3rd state (NH, WB, R223) the signature is moved to the robe of Jesus and the year is changed into 1658. The dark shading between Christ and the woman is deleted. The top of the well is heavily retouched. Early impressions show considerable burr on the clothing and the hair of the woman. NU mentions an unintended line running over the middle spire in the background. In later impressions the line becomes less visible, just as the hair on the left side of the woman.
In the 4th state (NH/NU P. Basan, H.Basan, Jean) the left eye of Christ is reworked with two horizontal lines above the pupil. The two lines of the nose are redrawn and replaced by a single line°.
In the 5th state (NH/NU Bernard) the plate is heavily reworked. The shadow on the wall between Christ and the woman is restored, with diagonal left-to-right scratches. There is also shading added to the wall and in the upper left corner to have the plate look as the earliest prints.

Of the first three states there are many impressions on Japanese paper.
Of the 2nd state impressions were sold at auctions, on vellum (1924) and on Chinese paper (1901)
The etching appears unchanged in the Recueil de Basan, impressions fairly good (NU).

B&W 54 – Recueil de Basan – Page 17                   NH: 4^th state of V/WB: 3^rd and final state.
A quite good impression, the single line of the nose indicates a 4^th state.

 B&W 206 – Recueil de Beaumont –  Sheet x         NH: 5^th and final state/WB: 3^rd and final state.
Despite the heavy rework, the impression is still good.

In the 1st state: Double-headed eagle (c. 1656-57); Arms of Amsterdam (c. 1657-59).
In the 3rd state: Arms of Amsterdam (5 ed.), Seven Provinces; Strasbourg lily; Countermarks GI and VA.
In the 4th state: Fleur-de-lis.

H 294, BB 57-B, G 71, M 253, Mz 238, RA 221-223, Cl 74, W 74, Bl 45, Du 72, CD 251, S 32/33
Tümpel p. 78; Rembrandts passie, p. 100-102; Tümpel 2006, p. 64-65; Tromp & Maas 1999, p. 133-144; Hinterding 2008, p. 146ff; Dat kan beter! 2013, p. 60-61

New Hollstein: 4th state of V/White-Boon: 3rd and final state.
Probably a later impression of the 4th state (NH/NU), possibly by Basan. The changes made in Jesus’ left eye and the line over the spire are well visible. The shadows in the left side are not reworked, indicating the 4th state. There are small defects, like stains in the corners (adhesive residue, mainly visible verso), a small defect in the middle just above the top of the well and two pinpoint holes in the upper part.
Sheet 125/126 x 160 mm, no margins, cut on or slightly within the plate mark (+1%).
No watermark, vertical chain lines at approx. 33 mm.