The Knifegrinder
1610–85
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 3 1/4 × 2 13/16 in. (8.3 × 7.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1964
Accession Number
64.642.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
Adriaen van Ostade's *The Knifegrinder* (c. 1610–85) captures a slice of everyday life in the Dutch Golden Age through the intimate medium of etching. This small print, measuring just 3¼ × 2⅞ inches, depicts a working man sharpening knives—likely a street tradesman—amidst modest buildings, highlighting the humble labors that defined 17th-century Dutch society. Van Ostade, a master of genre scenes, often portrayed peasants and artisans with a keen eye for detail and subtle humor, elevating ordinary moments to artistic subjects. Etching, van Ostade's chosen technique here, involved coating a co...
About the Artist
Adriaen van Ostade · 1610–1685
Adriaen Jansz. van Ostade (1610-1685) was a Dutch Baroque painter and printmaker who specialized in genre scenes of peasant life. Born and raised in Haarlem, he became one of the most prolific and celebrated artists of the Dutch Golden Age, producing over 800 paintings, 50 etchings, and numerous drawings. Van Ostade's significance in art history lies in his masterful depiction of peasant life, a ...