The plate was not part of any of the early auctions or collections and is probably not anymore in existence.

Since Michel first introduced the idea (in 1890), experts have debated whether or not the person shown here is indeed Rembrandts father. Hind supports this view (p 48-49), pointing at many examples of the same head, even in works by Jan Lievens, Johannes van Vliet and Gerard Dou. They all worked in Rembrandts studio in Leyden and must have had easy access to his father at the time. The many states provide some insight into the working method of the artist in this stage of his career.

There is a similar painting in reverse, now in the Mauritshuis (Corpus B7, Bredius 77).
Hind points at a drawing, now in Oxford, which shows a stark resemblance to this etching and on which the title Harmen Gerrits van den Rhijn is written in a 17th century hand.

NH lists eight copies of which one in the same direction. Copy G is anonymous (82 x 77 mm).
There are seven copies in reverse. Copy A is by Danckaert’s workshop, inscribed Rem (79 x 71 mm, WB 4). Copy B is anonymous, inscribed R 1647 (84 x 74 mm, WB 3). Copy C is attributed to Thomas Worlidge (his nr 2, 158 x 135 mm, WB 2?). Copy D is anonymous (65 x 48 mm, WB 6). Copy E is signed by Ersnt Wilhelm Jan Bagelaar (75 x 55 mm). Copy F is signed by Costantino Cumano, inscribed Rt.inv. (90 x 74 mm, WB 1). Copy H is anonymous (68 x 77 mm, WB 5, not traced by NH).

According to Münz and Hind some work in the 2nd state is executed by a pupil.
According to most authors the work from the 5th state is not by Rembrandt, probably van Vliet (Münz).
The plate was made by a pupil according to Coppier.

NH list eight states, the final two not by Rembrandt. The 4th, 5th and 8th state are ‘new’. Most other authors list five states, Hind six, Nowell-Usticke one trial proof and six states. The trial proof A described by Nowell-Usticke only shows the sketched face and body. It may indeed be an early state or a badly inked impression of the 1st state, as White-Boon suggests. The 1st state (NH, WB, R807) is the larger plate, the body is only lightly shaded.
In the 2nd state (NH, WB, R809) the body is fully shaded and the fur collar worked out in detail. The cap is reworked and a monogram and date are added.
In the 3rd state (NH, WB, R810) the plate is cut at the bottom and at left, removing the rocks on the leftside (75 x 60 mm The background remains unshaded. A new monogram and date are added in the upper left corner.
In the 4th state (NH) diagonal shading is added on the lower part of the right shoulder.
In the 5th state (NH) the background is shaded, leaving a spot of foul biting in the left margin almost blank. More additional shading in several areas.
In the 6th state (NH/4th state WB, R811) the spot of foul biting is now shaded.
In the 7th state (NH/5th state WB, R812) the plate is reworked (not by Rembrandt, possibly by Johannes van Vliet) with strong right-to-left diagonals on the left shoulder, projecting outside the left border.
In the 8th state (NH) regular shading is added in the lower left corner, now touching the collar. There is horizontal shading on the left cheek. Differences in the later states are difficult to see.

There are nine impressions of the 1st state, clearly used as proofs since they show many retouches in chalk and pencil.
Two impressions are on the backside of other prints. Like one in the British Museum, on the backside of The white negress (B357, 2nd state). NU considers this partially inked impression as a separate trial proof.

In the 1st state: Serpent (1630).

H 21, BB 30-E G 280, M 38, Mz 39, RA 807-813, Cl 300, W 304, Bl 265, Du 300, CD 25
Hinterding 2008, p. 541-546; Baas 2015, p. 84-85;

NH: 7th or 8th state of VIII/WB: 5th and final state of V.
A very good, contemporary impression.
Sheet 78/79 x 60/62 mm. Thread margins of 1 to 2 mm all around (+7%).
No watermark, chain lines horizontal.

In the collection of Dr. Wilhelm August Ackermann (1793-1865, Lubeck/Dresden, Lugt 791), his collector’s mark verso.
It may have been in his sale of 188 Rembrandt prints with Weigel in Leipzig in March 1853.

Rembrandt in Zwart-Wit, Het Hannemahuis (Harlingen), March – July 2014;
Rembrandt, fotograaf avant-la-lettre, Museum De Reede (Antwerp), January – May 2023;
Rembrandt, 17th century photographer, Daegu Art Museum (Korea), November 2023 – March 2024;