Untitled (man in hat with cigarette) c. 1940

This photograph, Untitled (man in hat with cigarette), of unknown date, was created by Paul Gittings. Consider how the figure's pose, the cigarette, hat, and suit, create meaning through visual codes and cultural references. These attributes are all visual shortcuts referring to wealth, leisure, and masculinity. We might think of the institutional history of photography, and the way portraiture has been used to create and disseminate images of power and social standing. This portrait is a reminder of the way that such institutions participate in the construction of social identity. Further research into Gittings’ other works might offer more insight. It could be fruitful to ask how this image comments on the social structures of its own time. The historian's role is crucial in interpreting art, using resources to understand its social and institutional context, reminding us that art's meaning is contingent on these contexts.