Untitled (young man in uniform next to dresser, hat under arm) c. 1955

This photograph of a young man in uniform, next to a dresser, hat under arm, was created by Paul Gittings. The work is an inverted black and white image of a serviceman in uniform. The uniformity of the image reflects the restrictive role of men in the military. He stands rigidly to attention, yet the presence of the domestic dresser subverts the idea of a military man. Is this a portrait of a man confined and defined by gendered expectation? Or a man who also has a life outside of the war? Gittings’ portraits often served as idealized representations, yet this image allows us to reflect on the emotional and psychological impact of war and military service on the individual. The photograph invites us to question conventional representations of masculinity, and consider the complexities of identity during times of conflict.