In 1657, as far as we know, he executed only one etching, "St Francis praying" (B. 107), unfinished, and chiefly notable for the fine study of a tree which it contains. Three figures of nude women, "A Woman preparing to dress after Bathing" (B. 199), "A Woman sitting with her Feet in Water" (B. 200), and a so-called "Negress lying down" (B. 205), are dated 1658, while 1659 was marked by two very diverse subjects, "St Peter and St John at the Gate of the Temple" (B. 94), and "Jupiter disguised as a Satyr discovering the sleeping Antiope" (B. 203).
Throughout 1660 Rembrandt would seem to have left his etching needle to rust in idleness, but he resumed it once more in 1661, and produced a study of the nude, "A Woman with her Back turned sitting cross-legged upon a Bed, holding an Arrow in her right Hand" (B. 202); and with this the list of authentic dated etchings is brought to a close.
There are one hundred and one etchings generally accepted as Rembrandt's to which no date can positively be assigned, but lack of space forbids our considering them at length, and we must be content to review them somewhat hastily, dwelling only on those of special importance. The earlier years, from 1628 or 1629 to about 1635, are chiefly characterised by a number of small portraits of himself, and of various unknown old men and old women, and by a remarkable series of sketches of beggars and peasants. About 1631 we find the first study from the nude, "Diana bathing" (B. 201), altogether excellent as an example of well-directed line, devoted, however, to a coarse and unshapely figure. Of approximately the same date is a masterly portrait of "An Old Lady," in all probability Rembrandt's mother (B. 343), seated at a table, turned in three-quarter face to the right, her hands lightly folded in her lap, which is worthy of remark as showing how rapidly Rembrandt mastered all the available styles of etching, and how subtly and skilfully he combined them.
A little later, the assigned dates ranging between 1633 and 1636, we have the first portrait, outside his family circle, to which we can definitely attach a name, that of the minister "Jan Cornelis Sylvius" (B. 266), with whose family Saskia was staying before her marriage. If, as we may imagine, it was undertaken to ingratiate himself with people so important to him, or later out of gratitude for their good offices, we can only hope that they were not over-critical, for it must be confessed that this exercise in pure dry-point is about as bad an example as could be found. A sheet of sketches (B. 367), dating from 1635 or 1636, is noteworthy for the charming "Head of Saskia" included in it, and a "Portrait of Himself in a flat cap and slashed vest" (B. 26), slightly but beautifully etched, as undoubtedly an admirable presentment of himself as he appeared about 1638. Four scripture subjects are, a sketch of "The Flight into Egypt" (B. 54), dating anywhere between 1630 and 1640; a "Holy Family," known as "The Virgin with the Linen" (B. 62), dating between 1632 and 1640; a beautiful little "Crucifixion" (B. 80), dating from 1634 or 1635; and "An Old Man caressing a Boy," who stands between his knees (B. 33), dating from 1638 or 1639, believed by some authorities to represent "Abraham caressing Isaac."