Scharenslijper met werktuig op zijn rug 1825 - 1835

This is a print by Jean-Baptiste Madou, portraying a knife grinder with his tools. The most striking symbol here is not just the tools of his trade, but how they are carried—upon his back, transforming him into a beast of burden. Consider the ancient myth of Atlas, condemned to carry the world on his shoulders. Similarly, the knife grinder bears the weight of his livelihood, a burden that shapes his very posture. This motif of bearing weight appears across cultures; from the Egyptian god Shu, holding up the sky, to depictions of Christ carrying the cross. But note the difference: the knife grinder's burden is mundane, a daily toil. The position of his hand touching his neck could be read as a sign of discomfort or worry. It evokes a sense of empathy, a recognition of the universal struggle to bear the burdens of existence. The image resonates because it taps into a primal understanding of labor and survival. It is a reminder that even the simplest of trades carries its own weight, a weight that echoes through time and connects us to countless others who have carried their own burdens.