Untitled (portrait of blond girl with bow in hair standing behind chair, looking left) after 1940

This photographic portrait of a blond girl with a bow in her hair, standing behind a chair and looking left, was made by Paul Gittings at an unknown date. The artist's focus seems to be on capturing a likeness, and it's interesting how the details contribute to the overall mood. The delicate lace of her dress and the bow in her hair give a sense of old-fashioned formality, while the girl’s averted gaze creates a feeling of distance. I imagine the artist carefully posing the girl, trying to get the lighting just right, and hoping to capture something of her spirit in the process. It reminds me of the many portrait painters who grappled with similar challenges. Artists are always in conversation, figuring out ways to express something meaningful about their subjects, and about themselves, really.