Untitled (woman seated in armchair with elbows on arms of chair) after 1940

Paul Gittings captured this photograph, titled "Untitled (woman seated in armchair with elbows on arms of chair)," though the exact date remains unknown. In the image, a woman sits formally in an armchair, elbows resting on the armrests, a pose indicative of the era's portraiture. The setting, a well-decorated room, hints at middle-class domesticity. However, the absence of a title directs our focus towards the woman herself and the complexity of the female identity. What narratives are concealed behind the gaze? How does her pose challenge or reinforce societal expectations of women? Rather than a mere representation, the photograph becomes an introspective exploration of identity, inviting viewers to project their own understanding of female experience. The emotional weight of the image lies in the unspoken stories, the personal histories, and the societal pressures that shape the woman’s identity.