Untitled (baby in bassinet) c. 1940

Paul Gittings captured this eight-by-ten-inch photograph of a baby in a bassinet; we don't know exactly when. In this black and white image, the child lies still, almost suspended in a liminal space between sleep and wakefulness. Looking at this photograph, I am struck by the themes of innocence and vulnerability. It invites us to consider the social construction of childhood, and the ways in which our earliest experiences are shaped by cultural norms and expectations. The stillness of the baby, combined with the formality of the photographic medium, evoke a sense of timelessness, yet the image is firmly rooted in a particular historical context. How does this image reinforce or challenge our ideas about the nature of family? Consider the role of photography in shaping our collective memory and understanding of childhood.