The artisan teaching or showing his skills to children is a common theme in both European and American genre painting. The passing of knowledge from generation to generation had great appeal to those interested in the stability of community. —PH
Fenimore Art Museum information sheet, undated: "Scene depicts male scissors grinder standing at small table and sharpening scissors on a grindstone. He is observed by a young girl and boy. Predominant colors are dark black/green background of threes (top 1/3), brown and green ground (bottom 1/2) white blouse and gred [sic] skirt of girl, flesh tones of girl's back and neck, boy's red shirt, and drab green coat of scissors grinder."
MacGibeny, 2021: On Sunday, February 23, 1873, Johnson's friend and fellow artist Jervis McEntee wrote in his diary: "Hamilton [likely William H. Hamilton, a businessman and active collector] came in with his wife to tell me I made a great mistake in not allowing him to make me an offer the last time he was here. That he was prepared to offer me within $40 of my price but that I was so decided he went and spent the money for a picture of Eastman Johnson, the Scissors Grinder."
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