Untitled (full-length portrait of brde standing in front of mirror, chandelier sconces to sides) after 1940

Paul Gittings captured this image of a bride with a bouquet in front of a mirror. The mirror is a potent symbol—a portal to self-reflection. This motif echoes through art history, from Jan van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait, where a mirror reflects the entire scene, to the vanity paintings of the Renaissance, cautioning against earthly vanity and fleeting beauty. Here, the bride's reflection doubles her presence, suggesting a duality—the self she is and the self she anticipates becoming in marriage. The chandelier sconces, symbols of illumination and luxury, flank her, casting a soft light that evokes a sense of hopeful anticipation. Yet, mirrors can also be unsettling. They remind us of our mortality and the passage of time. In folklore, they are often seen as gateways to the spirit world. In this image, the mirror invites us to contemplate the bride’s inner world, her hopes, and perhaps her anxieties, as she stands on the threshold of a new life. It embodies the complex emotions tied to marriage—a blend of joy, hope, and the unknown.