Untitled (older man and woman seated with two young girls at sides) after 1940

Paul Gittings captured this family portrait in a photograph, a medium itself laden with the desire to freeze time, to preserve memory. Here we witness a seated older couple flanked by two young girls, likely granddaughters. The older woman sits enthroned in a chair, her hand resting on the younger girl, a gesture echoing countless Madonna and Child images throughout art history. This pose—a protective, guiding hand—reappears in funerary sculpture of antiquity, where a wife's hand upon her husband symbolized devotion and continuity. Observe the stark contrast between the generations, the weight of years etched on the elder's faces versus the unblemished skin of youth. It evokes the *memento mori* tradition, reminding us of life’s fleeting nature. Such juxtapositions tap into our collective subconscious, triggering contemplation on mortality and legacy, themes that artists have grappled with for centuries. The psychological weight of this family tableau thus becomes a powerful force, resonating far beyond a simple snapshot.