Untitled (two girls with stuffed animals seated on large rattan chair) after 1940

This photograph by Paul Gittings captures two young girls with their stuffed animals, seated regally in a large rattan chair. The toys they clutch—a stuffed rabbit and a dog—are potent symbols of innocence and comfort. Consider the rabbit, a figure that leaps through centuries, from ancient fertility symbols to the Easter Bunny. Here, it is a source of solace, a tangible manifestation of childhood's need for companionship and protection. The dog, too, is an ancient symbol—loyalty, guardianship, and unconditional love. These archetypal figures tap into our collective memory, reminding us of the foundational relationships that shape our emotional lives. Observe the composition—the girls nestled together, framed by the imposing chair, evokes a sense of security and containment, subtly stirring in us the primal echoes of childhood and home.