Untitled (woman smiling at baby on her lap) c. 1940

This untitled photograph by Paul Gittings captures a smiling woman holding a baby on her lap. The image is a study in contrasts, not just of light and dark, but of public and private. Made in a time when photography was becoming increasingly democratized, this image begs the question of who it was made for. Was it a personal memento or an advertisement for Gittings' studio? The woman's attire – a crisp, collared shirt with what appears to be an institutional crest – suggests a certain social standing, perhaps connected to a local organization or institution. It is important to remember that the cultural meaning of photographs, particularly of family and children, are very contingent on social setting. To understand this image fully, we would need to delve into the archives of Gittings' studio and the social history of the time. We would look for clues about the woman's identity and the intended audience for the photograph. Only then can we begin to fully appreciate its significance as a document of its time.