The Knifegrinder 1610 - 1685

Adriaen van Ostade’s etching “The Knifegrinder” (1610-1685) depicts a man sharpening a knife on a grindstone attached to a wheelbarrow. The etching is a classic example of Ostade’s genre paintings, which often focused on the lives of ordinary people. In this piece, the artist uses strong lines and shading to create a sense of depth and realism. The detailed portrayal of the man's clothes and the environment, along with the figure’s bent posture, lend to the piece’s realistic portrayal of everyday life. The scene is set in a bustling marketplace, and there are other figures in the background who are likely customers of the knife grinder. The knife grinder is positioned in the foreground, with the street and figures in the background leading the eye to a church in the distance. This work is now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.