1
The Knife Grinder and his Family
Hand-painted oil reproduction from $253 37 × 27 cm
Same size as the original $265 45 × 31 cm Order at original size →
Alexandre Moitte, 1750 – 1828
Alexandre Moitte's 1 Most Famous Paintings
The Knife Grinder and his Family (1770) is the painting Alexandre Moitte is best remembered for; it belongs to the Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg. Our catalogue counts 1 works by Alexandre Moitte. Here are the 1 most famous, with the year, the museum and the story of each canvas.
Ranked by our popularity score, which combines the searches, visits and orders for each work. Updated November 2026. Each painting on this page can be ordered as an oil reproduction painted by hand on linen canvas, or as a fine art print, made to the size you choose.
- Born · died
- 1750 – 1828, Paris
- Works in our catalogue
- 1
- Most famous
- The Knife Grinder and his Family (1770)
- Most works at
- Hermitage Museum
The ten best-loved paintings by Alexandre Moitte
Where Alexandre Moitte's canvases hang
The museum that holds the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Alexandre Moitte | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Hermitage Museum |
Saint Petersburg | 1 | The Knife Grinder and his Family |
Alexandre Moitte's most famous canvases, one year after another
The dated canvases of Alexandre Moitte on this page all belong to 1770: here they are, in order of fame.
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1770
Canvas 1 of 1
The Knife Grinder and his Family
Alexandre Moitte's canvases, question by question
Which canvas is Alexandre Moitte most remembered for?Read the answer
The Knife Grinder and his Family (1770).
The Knife Grinder and his Family: how old was Alexandre Moitte when it was painted?Read the answer
Alexandre Moitte, born in 1750, was 20 years old: The Knife Grinder and his Family dates from 1770.
How many paintings did Alexandre Moitte create?Read the answer
1 works by Alexandre Moitte are in our catalogue.
Where do Alexandre Moitte's most famous canvases hang today?Read the answer
Mostly in Hermitage Museum (Saint Petersburg); the list above names each museum and its canvases.
Where can I buy a reproduction of a Alexandre Moitte painting?Read the answer
Yes. Every painting on this page can be ordered from its own page as an oil reproduction painted by hand, or as a fine art print, in the size you choose.
Meet the painter: Alexandre Moitte
A Life in Paris
Born in Paris, Alexandre Moitte grew up within a family deeply connected to the visual arts. His father, Pierre-Étienne Moitte, was a painter and a royal engraver, providing a domestic environment where the technicalities of line and form were part of daily life. This lineage likely shaped Alexandre's early understanding of his craft. He eventually sought formal training at the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture, a step that solidified his place within the French artistic tradition of his era.
His personal life was anchored by his marriage to Charlotte Deruelle. Together, they raised several children, including Antoine Guillaume Alexandre, Auguste Pierre Charles, Flore, and Adrien Jules Philibert. These family connections reflect a life lived amidst the social and professional structures of late eighteenth-century France.
The Quiet Observation of Daily Life
Moitte’s work often turned its gaze toward the people and the labor that defined the era. One of his notable pieces, The Knife Grinder and his Family, created in the 1770s, offers a glimpse into the domestic and professional realities of the time. Painted in oil on a panel, the work captures a specific moment of communal existence. It is a scene of quiet industry, showing the intersection of work and family life.
His technique relied on a careful application of oil to panel, a medium that allowed for a certain level of detail in the textures of clothing and tools. This piece, which remains part of a private collection, demonstrates his ability to find meaning in the mundane activities of common people. He did not look for grand spectacles, but rather for the steady rhythm of life as it was lived in the streets and homes of France.
Legacy and Presence
Though his name may not carry the weight of the most famous painters of the period, Moitte’s contributions remain part of the historical record of French art. His work survives in collections that preserve the visual language of the eighteenth century. His life and his art provide a window into a period of transition, seen through the eyes of a man who understood both the precision of engraving and the softness of oil painting.