Untitled (young man in uniform seated in chair with legs crossed, hat on knee) after 1940

Paul Gittings made this black and white photograph of a young man in uniform, likely sometime in the mid-20th century. The image evokes questions about duty, identity, and the role of young men in times of conflict. The sitter's crossed legs and relaxed posture, combined with the uniform, create a visual tension: a push and pull between the casual and the formal. How might this have resonated during the historical moment in which it was produced? Was it an attempt to humanize soldiers, to make them more relatable? To understand this photograph more deeply, we might consult military archives, fashion history, and social histories. By situating the artwork within its time, we can start to unpack its meanings and appreciate its function as a cultural artifact.