Untitled (little boy seated in small rocking chair by trees) c. 1940

This haunting photograph of a child was made by Paul Gittings at an unknown date. We see a young boy seated in a small rocking chair, surrounded by trees and foliage, all rendered in stark black and white. The image has an ethereal, almost ghostly quality, perhaps due to the photographic process or the artist's intent. Gittings had a career as a portrait photographer, catering to affluent clients, but this particular work departs from the polished studio portraits he was known for. Instead, it evokes a sense of vulnerability and isolation. Where was it taken? What was the social context of its making? Was Gittings seeking to subvert his commercial approach to photography? Historical research into the artist's life and work, along with studies of childhood representation in photography, may help us understand this image and its place in the history of the medium.