The Argument 1940

"The Argument" (1940) by Herman Volz (1904-1990) is a striking black and white lithograph depicting two industrial workers engaged in a heated dispute. One worker points to a large hook, possibly connected to a crane, while the other seems to gesture toward a large, almost abstract shape. The artwork, with its stark contrasts and heavy lines, reflects the social realism movement of the time, highlighting the anxieties and tensions of the working class. The scene, set against the backdrop of a shipyard, underscores the importance of industrial labor and its connection to the nation's economic and social fabric.