Untitled (photograph of "Atalanta Reflects": nude woman seen from back gazing at apple) c. 1940

This gelatin silver print of a nude woman gazing at an apple was created by Paul Gittings. The photograph is made using gelatin silver, a process that involves coating a base – in this case, paper – with a light-sensitive emulsion of gelatin containing silver halides. This emulsion captures the image when exposed to light, and then a developing process makes the image visible. The material qualities of gelatin silver prints are distinctive, offering a wide tonal range and sharp details. The labor involved in creating the image also extends beyond the artist’s studio: the industrial production of photographic materials, the processing chemicals, and the dissemination of images through prints all tie the photograph to wider issues of labor, politics, and consumption. By focusing on materials and processes, we appreciate how photography has become an essential medium for the fine arts, challenging traditional distinctions between artistic skill and industrial production.