Untitled (photograph of a 1926 Gittings photo of young man smoking cigarette in gallery) c. 1970

Paul Gittings captured this photograph in 1926 of a young man smoking a cigarette in an art gallery. The roaring twenties were a time of profound social and cultural shifts, especially in America. This photograph complicates our understanding of the era. While the decade is often remembered for jazz, flappers, and economic prosperity, this image offers a glimpse into a more complex reality. The young man exudes an air of self-assuredness, yet the photograph’s sepia tones and the formal setting also evoke a sense of nostalgia. The presence of artwork in the background suggests a narrative about the intersection of art, identity, and social status. Consider the act of smoking, which was often associated with rebellion. How might this image challenge or reinforce traditional gender roles and class distinctions of the time? This photograph invites us to contemplate the silent stories and unspoken tensions that lie beneath the surface of the past.