Untitled (young boy in shorts standing with hands on chair) after 1940

This is a black and white photograph titled 'Untitled (young boy in shorts standing with hands on chair)' by Paul Gittings. The composition is striking, a study in contrasts and textures. The stark, smooth wall behind sharply offsets the ornate chair and the patterned rug below. This division creates a tension, a visual binary where the child is the mediating figure. The chair, with its striped cushion, intrudes into the space, asserting a formal, almost architectural presence. The boy, in turn, adopts a stance of quiet authority, his hand resting on the chair as if to claim ownership or seek support. The play of light and shadow emphasizes the textures, almost flattening the image into a study of surfaces. The absence of color forces us to focus on the structure, the underlying architecture of the scene. This photograph destabilizes established meanings of portraiture, inviting viewers to consider the intersections of childhood, materiality, and representation. It prompts ongoing interpretation of how these elements converge to challenge and redefine the genre.