Untitled (portrait of young boy dressed as cowboy, holding lasso) c. 1940

This ‘Untitled’ photograph by Paul Gittings presents a young boy dressed as a cowboy, holding a lasso. Gittings was a commercial photographer known for portraiture, particularly in the American South. This image invites us to consider how American identities are constructed and performed. The cowboy is a potent symbol, deeply entwined with notions of rugged individualism, freedom, and the conquest of the American West. Yet, this romanticized figure often obscures the histories of violence against Indigenous peoples and the exploitation of immigrant laborers. Here, the child’s innocent portrayal raises questions about the transmission of cultural narratives and the ways in which children learn to embody these often-complex roles. The image becomes a poignant reflection on the stories we tell ourselves about who we are as a nation. It evokes a bittersweet feeling, a longing for a simpler time, even as it prompts us to confront the contradictions embedded within it.