Untitled (boy seated at piano, flanked by siblings) c. 1940

Paul Gittings made this untitled photograph of children at a piano sometime in the 20th century. With its display of musical accomplishment and domestic harmony, this photograph offers a glimpse into the values of a particular social class, perhaps in the United States, where Gittings worked as a portrait photographer. The children, neatly dressed, are positioned around a piano, an instrument often associated with leisure and refinement. The presence of sheet music suggests not just casual playing but structured learning, indicative of a household that values education and cultural pursuits. We can read this image through the lens of social history, considering what it tells us about the aspirations and self-representation of middle-class families in the 20th century. To gain a deeper understanding of this artwork, we might consult historical archives, family photo collections, and studies of social class and cultural norms. By examining such resources, we can begin to understand how the artist and his subjects participated in the construction of social identity.