Untitled (woman in hat standing in vestibule between doors, looking at camera) c. 1940

This photograph was taken by Paul Gittings, using a camera and darkroom techniques that were the height of technology at the time. It's not just a snapshot; the composition is carefully arranged. Take a look at the ornate ironwork, the geometric door panels. The woman's clothing also speaks to a specific moment in time. Her ensemble is clearly ‘bought’ rather than ‘made,’ a product of the fashion industry and consumer culture. The fact that she is captured in a photographic process underscores this connection to industry and mass production. Photography, as a medium, democratized portraiture. This image, while seemingly straightforward, is deeply embedded in the social and economic shifts of its time. It invites us to consider the relationships between technology, industry, and representation, and how they shape our understanding of ourselves and others.