Untitled (photograph of "Clear Outlook": woman in hat in front of large leaves) c. 1940

This photograph by Paul Gittings, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums, presents a study in contrasts through its formal composition. The central image, a woman in a hat set against a backdrop of large leaves, is itself framed by a dark, solid rectangle, creating a visual hierarchy. The photograph's negative presentation flips our expectations. We are forced to see light and shadow in reverse, challenging our perception. This reversal destabilizes the conventional reading of portraiture, prompting us to look beyond the subject's identity. The interplay of positive and negative space, further enhanced by the differing textures within each layer, asks us to consider the image not just as a representation of a person, but as an exploration of form and the very essence of photographic representation. The photograph invites an ongoing interpretation of the self and its representation.