Harry Sternberg was a Social Realist painter who dedicated himself to criticizing injustice wherever he observed it. His subjects often included American workers in coal mining and manufacturing. Beginning in the mid-1930s, he created a series of paintings and prints focused on the manufacturing of steel, including this print. Although his works could often be gritty and highly critical, this print appears to be a fairly straightforward celebration of American industry’s might.

Label from Overtime: The Art of Work, March 8–May 17, 2015