The copperplate was not in any of the major collections and is probably not in existence.

Based on the shape of the tower, the village in the background has been identified as Diemen, a small town east of Amsterdam. It could also be the church of Ouderkerk. The mountains are obviously only existing in the artist’s mind.

Until 1990 this plate was called Landscape with Shepherd and Sheep. It is now generally accepted that the two animals are in fact dogs and that the stick carried by the man is used to flush out hares and rabbits. The hounds then take care of the actual hunting.

Vosmaer sees a similarity with B235, Canal with an angler and two swans. Rembrandt made several drawings of Diemen, like Benesch 1230, now in the Boijmans-van Beuningen and Benesch 1231 now in the Courtauld Institute of Art (London). For the mountains Rembrandt may have been inspired by Campagnola and/or Hercules Seghers.

The etching is considered as special by Wilson.

All authors list two states. In the 1st state (R578) a cottage and hay barn are visible near the left margin, behind the two figures.
In the 2nd state (R580) the cottage and hay barn are removed. Bartsch, Daulby and de Claussin reversed the order of the two states.

There are seven impressions of the 1st state known, of which three at the Rijksmuseum. Of both states there are impressions on Japanese paper.

In the 2nd state: Arms of Amsterdam; Arms of Ravensburg; Countermark LL; Foolscap with five-pointed collar; Five-pointed collar with CM’s LB and PDB; Phoenix; Strasbourg lily.

H 265, BB 53-1, G 203, M 329, Mz 166, RA 577-580, Cl 208, W 208, Bl 314, Du 208, CD 227, S 92
Wandelingen 1998, p. 244; Hinterding 2008, p. 387-390;

NHD/WB: 2nd and final state.
A very good, contemporary impression.
Sheet 128 x 160/158. No margins, trimmed on or just into the platemark (0%).
Watermark: Foolscap with five-pointed collar (probably Hinterding K-e-a), horizontal chain lines at appr. 26 mm

In the collection of Jiles (Jelle) Boon (1916-2009, Rhoon, Lugt 3355).

The Rotunda at Exchange Square, Hong Kong, January 2008
Rembrandt in Zwart-Wit, Het Markiezenhof (Bergen op Zoom), Museum Gouda, Jan ten Horne Museum (Weert), Stadsmuseum Harderwijk, March 2013-August 2015; Stedelijk Museum Vianen, October 2017 – January 2018;
Rembrandt in Black & White, Schloß Britz (Berlin), Bozar Expo (Brussels), Chateau des Penthes (Geneva), November 2015 – October 2016;
Rembrandt, fotograaf avant-la-lettre, Museum De Reede (Antwerp), January – May 2023;
Rembrandt, 17^th century photographer, Daegu Art Museum (Korea), November 2023 – March 2024;
Rembrandt, de fotograaf, Westfries Museum (Hoorn), June 2024 – January 2025;
Rembrandt, Smits & Hansken, Jakob Smitsmuseum (Mol-Belgium), May-October 2025;