In the Shipyard
Gibson, Charles Dana, 1867-1944, artist · c. 1915, published in Life
Two workmen grip a two-man crosscut saw and bear down on the prow of a submarine, severing it cleanly. The vessel flies what the catalog identifies as both a pirate flag and a German flag; in the middle distance a steamship and industrial waterfront stretch across the horizon. One figure represents Uncle Sam, the other Labor—the pairing argues that American national identity and the working class share a common interest in resisting Germany's 1915 proclamation of unrestricted submarine warfare, which had begun sinking neutral and civilian vessels. The composition is stripped of caricature: both men are rendered as capable, determined tradesmen. The political point is blunt—democratic industry will simply cut the threat off at the bow.
About this artifact
- Creator
- Gibson, Charles Dana, 1867-1944, artist
- Date
- c. 1915, published in Life
- Rights
- Public domain — free to view, share, and reuse.
- Restoration
- Digitally restored and hosted by comicbooks.com.
Part of our mission to preserve and restore the public-domain heritage of the medium.