The plate was not part of any of the major collections and is almost certainly not in existence.

Early in his career, between 1627 and 1629, Rembrandt used self-portraits to master the technique of etching and to experiment with light and shadow, as he did in his early paintings. This is one of those ‘test-pieces’. It is quite unusual that the sitter is not watching at us, but looking sideways. The waiving hair and the light coming from the right side create the impression that Rembrandt actually moves forward. The shadows in the lower part, the triangle at right, may represent a wall or embankment. In other works a similar form of partition can be found. It creates more depth and perspective.
According to van Straten this may well be the first self-portrait.

There are two anonymous copies in the same direction. A is signed RH (71 x 56 mm, WB 1) and B is somewhat larger (WB 2). Both only listed by WB, not traced by NHD.

The plate was made by a pupil according to Middleton, Yver and Singer.
The plate is not by Rembrandt according to Coppier, Dutuit and Michel.

All authors list one state only.

Only three impressions are known, in the Rijksmuseum, the British Museum (R42) and the Bibliothèque Nationale (R41), all printed from a dirty plate.

H 35, BB 30-12, G 13, M 21, Mz 2, RA 41-42, Cl 9, W 9, Bl 213, Du 9, CD 34
Rembrandt by himself 1999, p 93; Van Straten 2005, p 82; Baas 2015, p, 24-25;