Untitled (young girl in long dress and hair bow reclining) c. 1940

This photograph of a girl in a long dress and hair bow, reclining in a chair, was created by Paul Gittings. With a careful eye towards its composition, we can see how it speaks to the history of portraiture. Gittings, who focused on portrait photography, seemed to reflect on the established genre of painting in which the wealthy would commission portraits of themselves in a way that both reflects and reinforces their social status. Considering that the work has no title, this is particularly thought-provoking. Was it Gittings' purpose to produce work with the conventions of portraiture in mind, but without reinforcing social hierarchy? Art historians employ a wide range of resources to comprehend works of art, delving into the social and institutional settings that shaped their creation and reception. This approach allows us to see the artwork not just as an aesthetic object, but as a reflection of its time.