Untitled (portrait of blond girl with bow in hair resting head and arms on back of chair) after 1940

Paul Gittings created this gelatin silver print, "Untitled (portrait of blond girl with bow in hair resting head and arms on back of chair)." The studio portrait provides us with a glimpse into the image of childhood constructed in its time. The careful styling of the girl’s hair and clothing, along with her pose, speak to a performance of ideal childhood femininity. We can consider how this image echoes wider cultural expectations around gender and class, where the presentation of innocence and purity was particularly emphasized for young girls. The composition invites us to reflect on the vulnerability and constructed nature of such images. The girl's gaze, though seemingly direct, carries an emotional complexity, making us question the narratives we project onto her. The photograph encapsulates the tensions between capturing an individual likeness and reinforcing societal norms.