Untitled (portrait of little girl holding stuffed animal up by her shoulder) after 1940

This photograph by Paul Gittings captures a young girl holding a stuffed animal. It's an object made with the then-cutting-edge photographic technology that really democratized image-making. While the process of photography might seem instantaneous, it still relied on the skilled labor of the photographer to set the composition and capture the light. The material qualities of the photographic process, the balance between light and shadow, and the specific texture of the print all contribute to the overall mood of the artwork. The black and white tones give it a timeless quality, a stark contrast to the vibrant colors and textures that we associate with childhood today. The absence of color invites us to focus on the shapes, forms, and the emotional weight of the image. Consider how the mass production of photographic portraits democratized image making and the way we understand the history of art, craft, and design.