Untitled (small child seated on chair, holding stuffed animal) after 1940

This photograph of a child seated on a chair and clutching a stuffed animal was captured by Paul Gittings. Here we see the potent image of childhood, of innocence. Note the doll, almost a fetish object, held tight in the child's grip, a symbol of comfort and security. Think back to the ancient Roman goddess Fortuna, often depicted with a cornucopia or rudder. Over time, the cornucopia has become a symbol representing prosperity and abundance. Yet its connection to Fortuna also highlights the idea that fortune is ever-changing, and this abstract idea is embedded in this doll. Such objects become powerful, imbued with the dreams and fears of its owner. In our own time, dolls and toys continue to appear, evolving as cultural symbols, in the hands of children, echoing the eternal need for comfort and companionship in our transient lives.