Untitled (woman leaning over baby in bassinet) after 1940

Paul Gittings created this black and white photograph of a woman and a baby in the United States, though the exact date is unknown. The image depicts a well-dressed woman smiling down at an infant in a bassinet. This photo offers a glimpse into the cultural values and social expectations surrounding motherhood, and the ways in which private life was becoming an important topic for public imagery. It presents an idealized vision of domesticity, with a focus on the tender connection between mother and child. The use of photography, a relatively new medium at the time, allowed for a level of realism and intimacy that was previously unattainable in portraiture. To understand this image more fully, we can turn to historical sources such as advice manuals for new mothers, social surveys, and popular magazines. We can also explore the history of photography as an institution, including the role of portrait studios in shaping social identities. Ultimately, the meaning of this artwork is not fixed, but rather emerges from the interaction between the image and its social and institutional context.