The Knifegrinder (Goya) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Knifegrinder |
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| Artist | Francisco de Goya |
| Year | 1808-1812 |
| Medium | oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 68 cm × 50.5 cm (27 in × 19.9 in) |
| Location | Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest |
The Knifegrinder (Spanish: El afilador) is a famous painting by Francisco de Goya. He was a very important Spanish artist. Goya painted this artwork between 1808 and 1812. Today, you can see this painting in a museum in Budapest, Hungary.
The Story Behind the Painting
This painting shows a man who sharpens knives and tools. He is called a "knifegrinder." He uses a special grinding wheel to make blades sharp again. This was a common job in Goya's time.
Some art experts, like Juliet Wilson-Bareau, think Goya painted The Knifegrinder for his own home in Madrid, Spain. He also painted another artwork called The Water Bearer around the same time. These paintings might have been a pair.
When Goya's wife, Josefa Bayeu, passed away in 1812, Goya made a list of all his paintings. The Knifegrinder was on this list. It was valued at 300 reales, which was a type of money used in Spain back then. It was listed with the same number as The Water Bearer.
How the Painting Found Its Home
After a big war in Spain called the Peninsular War, the painting was sold. An art expert named Manuela Mena believes Goya sold it directly to Prince Alois Wenzel Kaunitz. The prince was an ambassador, which means he was a special representative for the Austrian Empire in Spain.
Later, the painting was sold again to Nicolas Esterházy. He had a very large collection of art. In 1870, the country of Hungary bought the Esterházy collection. This collection became the main part of the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest. That is why The Knifegrinder is there today!
See Also
- List of works by Francisco Goya
In Spanish: El afilador para niños
