The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of December 21, 2025
Argument Nut Game, Rivington Street, Lower East Side, New York
1938, printed later
(American, 1919–2006)
Image: 15.8 x 20.9 cm (6 1/4 x 8 1/4 in.); Paper: 16.9 x 22.2 cm (6 5/8 x 8 3/4 in.)
Gift of the Rosenblum Family 2017.82
Location: Not on view
Description
Many Lower East Side residents were Jewish. The cause of the argument between these children standing outside a playground may be part of a tradition of Passover games that use nuts. These range from guessing whether the head or tail of the nut is facing up to manipulating nuts around lines or circles drawn on the ground. Betting—usually nuts but perhaps money—may be involved in the scene unfolding here.- A New York Minute: Street Photography, 1920–1950. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 11-November 7, 2021).
- {{cite web|title=Argument Nut Game, Rivington Street, Lower East Side, New York|url=false|author=Walter Rosenblum|year=1938, printed later|access-date=21 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2017.82