The copperplate survived after Rembrandt’s death. It was used for the Petit Cahier (St. Petersburg 1750), but it is lost since.

This is one of three self-portraits that initially were not recognized as such by Gersaint when he made his Catalogue raisonnée (1751). As usual the light comes in from the right. Rembrandt was obviously not content because he changed the light fall in the first four states, before printing larger numbers of the plate in the 5th state.

There are three copies in reverse. Copy A is anonymous (54 x 41 mm, WB). Copy B is by Booth Grey signed BG and inscribed comme Mari, et femme (80 x 161 mm). Copy C is signed by Christian Ludolph Reinhold in his book (1786, 83 x 78 mm).

The etching is considered as special by De Claussin and Wilson. The plate was made by a pupil according to Singer. The plate is not by Rembrandt according to Coppier. Münz considers only the 1st state to be by Rembrandt and later states by Johannes van Vliet.

NH lists ten states, of which states six until nine are ‘new’. Most other authors list five or six states, Nowell-Usticke seven. Several authors have suggested that later states were not by Rembrandt. NH considers only the final state to be by another hand.
In the 1^st state (NH, WB, NU, R846-847) the right shoulder is white*, the corners are almost square
In the 2^nd state (NH, WB, NU, R848) the shoulder is shaded with crosshatching*.
In the 3^rd state (NH, WB, NU) the plate is cut to 50 x 42 mm*.
In the 4^th state (NH, WB/3^rd state BB) the lines behind the right shoulder are burnished out*.
In the 5^th state (NH, WB, R849/4^th state BB, NU) an irregular zigzag line appears, continuing the right hand outline of the collar covering the left shoulder to the bottom marginº. The outline of the cap is strengthenedº.
In the 6^th state (NH only) regular cross-hatching is added to the shadow of the cap and the right shoulder°.
In the 7^th state (NH only) the highlights in the hair right of the face and in the shadow of te cap are darkened with new linesº.
In the 8^th state (NH only) new lines are added near the left eyeº.
In the 9^th state (NH only) various lines are added°.
In the 10^th state (NH/6^th state WB final, R851/7^th state NU)  there is left-to-right shading on the brow just below the hair at left. Single lines are added to the right temple. Cross-hatching is added to the fur collar. All changes by burin and not by Rembrandt.

Of the 1st state only four impressions are known. One in the Kupferstichkabinett in Berlin has the right shoulder shaded with black chalk. The others are in the British Museum, the Bibliothèque Nationale and the Lugt Collection.
Of the 2nd two impressions are known, one in the British Museum and one in the Pushkin Museum.
Of the 3rd state the only impression is in the Albertina.

H 58, BB 31-10, G 297, M 47, Mz 16, RA 846-853, Cl 28, W 28, Bl 234, Du 28, CD 58
Rembrandt & Van Vliet 1996, p. 83 Rembrandt by himself 1999, p. 135; Hinterding 2008, p. 561-563; Baas 2015, p. 56-57;

NH: 7th state of X/WB: 5th state of VI. The exact state is difficult to determine. The additional hairs near the left eye are not visible, indicating a 7th state. Since the highlights in the left part of the cap are also still visible it could also be a 6th state.
Sheet 53 x 47 mm, margins of 2 to 3 mm all around (+19%). The platemark is well visible, the plate edges are quite rough.
No watermark. Chain lines not visible.

Rembrandt in Zwart-Wit, Westfries Museum (Hoorn), Het Markiezenhof (Bergen op Zoom), Stedelijk Museum Zutphen, Het Hannemahuis (Harlingen), Museum Gouda, Jan ten Horne Museum (Weert), Stadsmuseum Harderwijk, March 2013-August 2015; Stedelijk Museum Vianen, October 2017 – January 2018;
Rembrandt in Black & White: Schloβ Britz (Berlin), Bozar Expo (Brussels), Chateau de Penthes (Geneva), November 2015-October 2016;
Rembrandt, 17th century photographer, Daegu Art Museum (Korea), November 2023 – March 2024;
Rembrandt, de fotograaf, Westfries Museum (Hoorn), June 2024 – January 2025;