The plate was not part of any of the major, early collections and is probably not in existence.

It is generally assumed that Saskia is depicted here, who died in 1642 at the age of 30 following a long period of illness.
But many authors point at the fact that the likeness with other portraits of Saskia in that period are not very convincing. That explains why more recent titles put her name between brackets.

There is a strong resemblance to B 347, Saskia with pearls. Rembrandt made two drawings of Saskia lying sick in bed (Benesch 283, at the Musée du Petit Palais in Paris and another in the Staatliche Grafische Sammlung in München) and one etching (B 369, NHD 177, Study with woman lying ill in bed). There is also a drawing of Saskia in bed, holding a baby (in the Courtauld Institute in London), It is dated 1635, so the baby there is probably Rombartus, who died three months later.

There is a copy in reverse by Léopold Flameng in the catalogue of Blanc 1859-61 II p. 135 (61 x 51 mm, WB).

The etching is not by Rembrandt according to Coppier.

NH lists two states, all other authors list one state only, generally weakly etched and printed.
In the 1st state (NH only) there is a spot of foul biting on the right jaw and the shadows on the left side of the nose are not continuous.
In the 2nd state (NH only) the shadow and spot are corrected. Two small lines are added to outline the right side of the nose.

Of the 1st state (NH) only three impressions are known.

H 196, BB 42-4, G 326, M 150, Mz 97, RA 940, Cl 349, W 353, Bl 202, Du 347, CD 155, S 140.
Rembrandt’s Women 2001, p. 175; Saskia Uylenburgh, p. 102-104; Hinterding 2008, p. 601-602; Broos 2012, p. 97-99.

NH: 2nd and final state/WB: Only state.
A delicate impression, some stains and a collectors mark visible recto.
Sheet 75/76 x 63/64 mm, broad margins of approx. 7 mm all around (+54%).
No watermark, vertical chain lines at approx. 22 mm.

In the collection of the German collector Carl Julius Kollmann (Aschersleben 1820-1875 Dresden, Lugt 1585) his name handwritten in black ink verso;
It was probably in the posthumous sale of the collection with Rud. Meyer in Dresden in February 1877.
In the collection of the German legal counsel Ernst von Feder (Wertheim am Main 1824-1904 Karlsruhe, Lugt 923) his collectors mark in blue ink, upside down verso;
It was probably in the posthumous sale of his collection with Georg Mössel in Munich.

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;
Rembrandt in Black & White, Schloß Britz (Berlin), November 2015-February 2016;