Untitled (little girl in sleeveless dress standing at base of staircase) after 1940

Here at the Harvard Art Museums is an untitled black and white photograph by Paul Gittings, showing a young girl at the base of a staircase. The composition is strikingly divided; the left side features a richly patterned carpet leading into a softly lit interior, while the right is dominated by the stark geometry of the staircase. The girl herself stands at the intersection of these contrasting spaces, a point of focus that is both delicate and unsettling. There is a sense of being on the threshold between realms, emphasized by the tonal range from light to deep shadow. This use of chiaroscuro does more than just create a mood. It speaks to photography’s inherent ability to reveal and conceal, to capture a moment while simultaneously constructing a narrative around it. The photograph invites us to consider the role of light and shadow in shaping our perceptions of reality and memory.