Untitled (portrait of woman looking to left with hands clasped by neck) after 1940

Paul Gittings made this untitled portrait of a woman using photography, somewhere in the mid-twentieth century. The stark contrast and tight framing of the image creates an emotional intensity. Gittings’ use of black and white adds a timeless quality, stripping away any distractions of color to focus on form and emotion. The texture of the photograph itself, with its visible grain and tonal shifts, adds a layer of depth to the work. The woman's clasped hands, positioned by her neck, seem both protective and vulnerable. The way the light catches her profile, highlighting the contours of her face, reminds me of the portraits by artists like Diane Arbus. Like Arbus, Gittings captures a sense of inner life and complexity that invites multiple interpretations. It’s a reminder that art, whether through paint or photography, is always a conversation, a way of seeing and being seen.