Untitled (photograph of "The Stubborn Tress": nude woman brushing her hair) c. 1940

This is a photograph by Paul Gittings, titled "The Stubborn Tress," depicting a nude woman brushing her hair. What we see here is a photograph *of* a photograph, made with film and photographic paper. The original image would have involved the labor of both the photographer and the model. This image, however, extends the labor of photography into a second degree: Gittings is representing the prior creative and physical effort. Kodak, whose name is prominently displayed, made possible the proliferation of photography and its availability as a tool for both artistic and commercial ends. The darkroom processes, from initial exposure to the final print, involve a complex series of chemical reactions, each stage demanding precision and care. In this image, Gittings not only captures a moment but also draws our attention to the layers of technical skill and industrial production that underpin the art of photography itself. So even in a seemingly straightforward image, we find a network of material processes and social relationships at play.