Untitled (photograph of Gittings photo: "Aphrodite") c. 1970

This is an untitled photograph of Paul Gittings' photo "Aphrodite". The image presents a woman, her hair wrapped in a towel, adorned with a flower, gazing dreamily off to the side. Gittings was an American photographer known for portraiture, especially in the upper echelons of Texan society. This image, with its soft focus and classical allusion, speaks to the image-making of its time, perhaps the 1930s or 40s, a period in which commercial photography drew on the conventions of high art to lend itself an aura of sophistication. It’s a photograph that’s very conscious of art history, evoking the visual language of classical sculpture and painting. Understanding this photograph requires us to consider the social role of portraiture and the commercial image in constructing identity. Researching Gittings' career and the social circles he served would illuminate how such images functioned within a specific cultural context, reinforcing or perhaps subtly challenging existing social norms. The study of art history is always contingent on social and institutional context.