Untitled (woman in formal dress and child seated on sofa) c. 1940

Paul Gittings created this untitled photograph, depicting a woman in formal dress with a child, sometime in the twentieth century. The composition and the sitters' attire suggest a staged portrait, likely of a wealthy family, evoking themes of status and societal expectations. Gittings, known for his society portraits, seems to capture more than just likeness; he hints at the constructed nature of identity within privileged circles. The ethereal quality, almost ghostlike, invites reflection on the transient nature of such constructed images of perfection. What does it mean to present a carefully curated version of oneself, and what anxieties lie beneath the surface? This image is a meditation on the performance of identity, reminding us that what we see is not always the full picture.