“工人”在1920年代末和1930年代初成为现代木刻版画的主要题材,胡一川《到前线去》成功塑造出革命工人勇于抗争的视觉形象,是其中最具感召力的作品。作品含义看似一目了然,但这一“工人”形象何以能够出现,“到前线去”的图像学内涵究竟指向哪里,都还有讨论的必要。更进一步的问题是:为什么“工人”在这样一个历史时期成为艺术创作的焦点,并激发出如此精彩的作品(图1)? “Workers ” became the main theme of modern woodcut prints in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Hu Yi-chuan’s “To the Front” succeeded in creating the visual image of the revolutionary workers’ courage to resist. This is one of the most striking works. The meaning of the works seems to be clear at a glance, but why does this “worker” image emerge? Where is the image connotation of “going to the front”? There is still a need for discussion. A further question is: Why did “workers” become the focus of artistic creation in such a historical period and inspire such wonderful works (Figure 1)?