The copperplate was in the sale by Clement de Jonghe (1679) as 73 leggende naackte ruster. It later appeared in the sale by Pieter de Haan (1767, lot 54) and was sold via Fouquet to 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 1430), 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 probably in a private collection in the USA.

It is one of the three studies of nude men Rembrandt made in 1646.

Initially, in the inventory of Clement de Jonghe in 1679, this print was called Leggende naackte ruster (lying nude, resting) and somewhat later Een zittend naakt Mannetje met een extra lang been (a sitting nude man with an very long leg).

Although it is quite likely that pupils made drawings of the model at the same time Rembrandt etched him, no examples have survived. There is, however, a drawing in the Staatliche Grafische Sammlung in Munich of a model in a somewhat different pose (HD).
Münz pointed at a drawing by Albrecht Durer (1471-1528) and at the recommendation in a drawing book by Crispijn de Passe (1594-1670), which was published just a year earlier.

There are two copies in the same direction. Copy A is by Hertel, his nr 79 (92 x 156). Copy B is an anonymous, contemporary one (100 x 159 mm).

NH lists three states, the final one not by Rembrandt. Most other authors list two states. Nowell-Usticke lists four states, from his 3rd state there are later impressions by P.Basan, Basan, Jean, Bernard and Beaumont.
In the 1st state (NH, WB, BB, H, NU) there is an unshaded space along the left edge of the left forearm. The plate edges are rough.
In the 2nd state (NH, WB final, BB, H, NU) the unshaded space is filled with left-to-right diagonals. There is vertical shading added to inner side of the right leg and the upper left leg and cross-hatching to the triangle between the legs. Several more shadows are added. The rough edges are smoothened, slightly reducing the size of the plate.
In the 3rd state (NH, NU) fine work is added to the dark shadows. The dark outline of the shoulder at the right appears to be practically solid, instead of the fine white line earlier. The fine lines on the forearm added in the 2nd state, are less visible. On later impressions by Jean a diagonal scratch runs through the 2nd finger of the left hand.
In the 4th state (NU) the plate is retouched and rebitten. The fine shading on the forearm is practically invisible. There are about 4 or 5 fine lines on the left shoulder, also visible in the 3rd state of NH. The vertical shading on the legs is missing.
In late impressions by Bernard the fine scratch through the finger is almost worn away.

Of the 1st state only eight impressions are known, of which two counterproofs (in the Teylers Museum and in the British Museum).
Nowell-Usticke considers the impressions in the Recueil de Basan to be fair.

In the 2nd state: Paschal lamb with cm RC A.a (1651); Arms of Amsterdam A.a; Countermark NB A.a; Foolscap with five-pointed collar K.g; Foolscap with seven-pointed collar K.a;

H 221, BB 46-C, G 188, M 278, Mz , RA 542, Cl 193, W 193, Bl 160, Du 193, CD 179, S 81.
Hinterding 2008, p. 351-352; Blaazer 2009, p. 37-47;

NH: 2nd state of III/WB: 2nd and final state
A dark impression with strong contrasts on thin laid paper. The fine lines on the left arm are still well visible, confirming a 2nd state.
Sheet 97/99 x 170/169 mm, thread margins of 1 mm, (+2%).
No watermark, horizontal chain lines at approx. 31 mm.

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