The Knifegrinder 1610 - 1685

Adriaen van Ostade's etching "The Knifegrinder," created sometime between 1610 and 1685, depicts a humble knife grinder at work. The image shows a man kneeling on a wheelbarrow, sharpening a knife on a grindstone. This work, now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, exemplifies the Dutch Golden Age's fascination with everyday scenes and the lives of common people. Ostade's detailed etching captures the gritty reality of the knife grinder's trade and the social interactions of his time, showcasing his mastery of the medium.