The plate was probably in the collection of Clement de Jonghe (1679, as 59 Maria met de kat en slang). It was in the sale of Jean de Bary (1759, lot 51) and sold to Fouquet. It then became part of the set of plates subsequently owned and used for printing Recueils by Pierre-François Basan, Henri-Louis Basan (his nr 1392), Auguste Jean (ca 1809), Veuve Jean, Auguste and Michel Bernard (1846), Alvin-Beaumont (1906) and Robert Lee Humber (1937). It was sold at the Artemis sale in London (1993) to an unidentified bidder.

Genesis 3:15.
God tells the serpent (Satan) that ´the woman´ will crush his head. In the Middle Ages Maria was considered a ´new´ Eve. Her foot on the snake is a symbol for the victory of Christ over Satan.

In this split-level room (note the stairs at left and the sort of bench the Virgin is sitting on) we see an empty chair at left, a fireplace at right and an open chest with clothes in the middle. A man (Joseph?) is watching through the window. He is clearly part of the scenery, yet outside the real thing, as Tümpel pointed out.
Van Regteren Altena suggested that traces of reworking near the fireplace may mean that Josef was originally placed within the room.

The cat at left may refer to a passage in the Bible that a cat gave birth at the same time the Virgin did.

The engraving Madonna and Child, (Bartsch 8) made ca. 1500 by Andrea Mantegna (ca 1431-1506) shows a very similar composition of the Virgin holding her Child. It was in turn based on reliefs by Donatello and shows exactly the same posture of the Madonna with the child. Supposedly, Rembrandt owned a copy of it.

In 1654 Rembrandt made a series of six etchings about the childhood of Jesus, of which this is one. They all have a roughly similar size, are stylistically comparable and follow the scripture quite strictly, as Tümpel pointed out.
There is a painting in the same direction dated 1646 (Bredius 572, Staatliche Museen in Kassel)  with the Madonna and child in a similar position.

The etching is considered as special by Coppier.

The New Hollstein lists four states, of which only the first by Rembrandt. The 2nd state (with two dots) is ‘new’. Most other authors list two states, Nowell-Usticke lists one trial proof and four states. From his 2nd state there are later impressions by Watelet, P.Basan, Basan, Jean, Bernard and Beaumont.
The trial proof (NU only) is a unique, very weak print in the Art Institute of Chicago. It is on thin Japanese paper with a series of failed biting and other irregularities and is not considered to be a separate state by NH.
In the 1st state (NH, WB, R205, NU) there are several small, white areas near the top margin, both left and right. The Virgin’s chin has five diagonal right-left lines and three fine diagonals in the patch just above and to the left of the right eye. The unshaded patch to the right of the chair arm is worked over. Early impressions show inky plate edges. There are vertical scratches 15 mm right of the date, which are fainting in later impressions.
In the 2nd state (NH only) an unknown owner added two dots in the lower right corner.
In the 3rd state (NH/2nd state WB, R206, NU P.Basan, H. Basan, Jean) the bare patches along the upper margin are filled in and the vertical shading lines in the lower left margin are extended to reach the border. Later impressions (by Jean?) show the fine shading on the chin wearing out.
In the 4th state (NH/3rd state NU Bernard) the chin of the Virgin is shaded over° and the sleeve is retouched (NU). The plate is skilfully rebitten.
In the 4th state (NU only) the impressions become lighter. There is light horizontal shading on the under part of the Virgin’s left sleeve.

The trial proof of Nowell-Usticke is a unique print on Japanese paper. It was in his own collection, earlier in the collection of Lord Aylesford.
New Hollstein lists nine impressions of the 2nd state, with the two dots.
The print is included in the Recueil de Basan, impression fairly strong (NU).

B&W 54 – Recueil de Basan – Page 17                               NH: 3^rd state of IV/WB: 2^nd and final state
A good impression. The patches at the top filled in, the two dots visible, but the chin of Mary still white.

B&W 206 – Recueil de Beaumont –  Sheet 19                  NH: 4^th and final state/WB: 2^nd and final state
A fairly good impression. The chin of Mary is now shaded.

In the 1st state: Foolscap with seven-pointed collar with PEH; Foolscap; Fleur-de-lis (1655); Countermark F.
In the 2nd state: Seven Provinces (> 1665).
In the 3rd state: Grapes.

H 275, BB 54-C, G 62, M 241, Mz 229, RA 205-206, Cl 67, W 67, Bl 34, Du 66, CD 232
Rembrandt’s Women 2001, p. 201; De grote Rembrandt (2006), p. 30; Hinterding 2008, p. 133ff; Phaidon (2017), p. 24;

New Hollstein: 3rd state of IV/White-Boon 2nd state of II
A very good, dark, but later impression by Basan or Jean. With warm plate tone and selective wiping. The Virgin’s chin not yet newly shaded, indicating a 3rd state (NH).
Sheet 98 x 147/146 mm. Thread margins of approx. 1 mm all around (+5%).
No watermark, one horizontal chain line is vaguely visible in the upper part.

Rembrandt in Zwart-Wit, Stedelijk Museum Zutphen, Jan ten Horne Museum (Weert), Stadsmuseum Harderwijk, November 2013-August 2015; Stedelijk Museum Vianen, October 2017 – January 2018;
Rembrandt in Black & White, Schloß Britz (Berlin), Bozar Expo (Brussels), Chateau des Penthes (Geneva), November 2015 – October 2016;