Untitled (man in suit in wingchair, wife on sofa, and two sons in living room) c. 1930s

Paul Gittings made this untitled photograph, a black and white negative, sometime in the twentieth century. The image presents a family portrait in their living room. The man in a suit sits in an ornate wingchair, positioned as the central figure of the photograph. His wife is seated on a sofa, and their two sons stand formally beside their father. The setting, a domestic interior, suggests a middle-class environment, with attention to details such as the lamp, coffee table, and framed picture that would reflect the family's status and taste. This kind of staged family portrait captures a particular moment in the history of the family, a moment they have chosen to represent themselves in a certain light. To understand this photograph fully, we would need to research the social and cultural context in which it was made. By looking at studio archives and photographic journals, we could understand the conventions that shaped family portraiture at the time. The cultural associations of the clothing and decor would also give us insight into the family’s aspirations and social standing.