Untitled (photograph of Gittings photo: "Tranquility")

This is Paul Gittings’ photograph of his work “Tranquility”. Though undated, its aesthetic clearly places it within the soft-focus pictorialism popular in the early to mid-20th century. Gittings, a prominent portrait photographer known for capturing the elite, here presents a serene image of a woman adorned with a headscarf, her face gently caressed by a dove. This work evokes a sense of classical purity and grace, reminiscent of religious iconography, yet tailored to a secular, modern audience. However, there's also a tension in this staged tranquility. The woman's idealized beauty and the dove, symbols of peace, exist within a constructed reality. It invites us to consider the roles women were often assigned—as emblems of serenity and virtue—and the artifice inherent in such representations. Gittings’ work is more than just a photograph; it is a carefully crafted tableau that speaks to the complex interplay between identity, representation, and the societal expectations of its time.