Newspaper Carriers (Work Disgraces) 1921

Georg Scholz made this print, Newspaper Carriers (Work Disgraces), using lithography. It’s monochrome, built from sharp lines, and a pretty bleak depiction of society. The man at the front has a newspaper tucked under his arm. The kid behind him is gazing off into the distance – maybe dreaming of escaping this scene. I feel for Scholz, he's capturing the alienation of the working class, the drudgery of labor. It feels reminiscent of Otto Dix, all that German Expressionist angst and social critique. The figures are caricatures, exaggerated to emphasize their suffering and the injustice of the system. There's a tension here, a sense of unease and injustice that resonates even today. It's like Scholz is saying, "Look at this! Wake up!" and that's the power of art. It speaks across time, sparking conversations and challenging us to see the world differently.