The Scissor Sharpener

Monotone pen and watercolour wash portrait of a knife and scissor grinder with his cart and loyal dog. Signed bottom left and dated, 1792.

John Nixon (1755-1818) was a wealthy merchant who enjoyed capturing likenesses of the street characters he encountered on his travels.

The drawing is professionally mounted with a watercolour wash border. It is irregularly trimmed along the bottom edge and has light age-browning.