Daniel, chapter2, verses 1 – 49.
In his dream the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar sees a statue with a golden head, a silver breast, a brass belly and thigh, legs of iron and feet of clay. Then, a stone that was miraculously cut out, destroyed the feet making the statue to fall down. In the 1st state Rembrandt showed not just the feet but the full legs as broken, which he corrected in the 3rd state. In the final states the names of the six ‘empires’ that were dominating the world in Biblical times, are written on the various body-parts: Babel, Medi, Persi, Graeci, Mohametani and Romani.

New Hollstein, as most authors, lists three states before the plate was cut and two states thereafter. Nowell-Usticke considers the 1^st state to be a trial print.
In the 1^st state (NH, WB, R118/NU trial proof A) the background is only lightly worked, the upper right corner is white. The legs of the stature are broken.
In the 2^nd state (NH, WB, R119/1^st state NU) the background is filled in, making the statue stand in a rocky niche. The signature is added. The legs are still broken.
In the 3^rd state (NH, WB, R120/2^nd state NU) the legs are redrawn. They are now only broken at the ankle. Jacob’s stone and the globe are added on the right side. An arch is added above the statue’s head.
In the 4^th state (NH, WB/3^rd state NU) the plate is cut and the names of the (six) nations are added in drypoint.
In the 5^th state (NH, WB, R121/4^th state NU) the head band is brought lower on the forehead to the level of the eyebrows. The shadows on the left side of the head are burnished away. The names of the nations are strengthened by re-biting.

Of all states there are impressions on vellum, on Japanese paper and even one on Chinese paper (3rd state).

In the 2nd and 3rd state: Fleur-de-lis A (1655).

New Hollstein/White-Boon: 2nd state of V
Both legs are still broken, the arch is not yet drawn in, confirming the 2^nd state.
Sheet 103/102 x 69 mm, trimmed just outside the border all around, cutting off the signature and date.