Untitled (portrait of man in suit and fedora) c. 1940

Paul Gittings made this untitled portrait of a man in a suit and fedora at an unknown date. It’s a four by five-inch photograph. Gittings was known for his portraiture, particularly of prominent figures. This image captures a man embodying the suave, confident archetype of the mid-20th century. We see a figure styled in the uniform of a particular kind of masculine power: a tailored suit and the de rigueur fedora. Yet, there's a sense of anonymity; we lack specific details about the sitter. The portrait provides a glimpse into how identity is constructed and presented through visual cues. It invites us to think about the roles men were expected to play and the visual language they employed to assert their place in society. It suggests both a performance of masculinity and perhaps a vulnerability beneath the surface.