Scharenslijper 1717 - 1783

This print, made by Jacques Philippe Le Bas, shows a knife sharpener at work. The sharpener uses a grinding wheel, likely made of sandstone, to sharpen knives, a vital service in a pre-industrial world. Note the sharp lines achieved through engraving, a process demanding immense skill and precision. Each line is incised into a metal plate, which is then inked and printed. The image shows how this painstaking method reveals the social context of labor. The sharpener's posture, bent over the wheel, speaks to the physical demands of his trade, and the simple tools emphasize the handcraft. The image isn't just a portrait; it's a document of a specific kind of work. By focusing on the work involved in both the sharpener's trade and the printmaking itself, we can see how this image bridges the gap between art and craft, inviting us to consider the value of skilled labor in all its forms.