Robert Capa (1913-1954)
The Falling Soldier, 1936
Gelatin silver print
Courtesy of the Leonid and Tatiana Nevzlin Collection
Must Know
Robert Capa, born endre Ernő Friedmann, was a Hungarian war photographer considered by many the greatest in history. This iconic black-and-white photograph originally published by Life magazine captures the death of Spanish Republican and anarchist militiaman,
Federico Borrell García, in the Spanish Civil War. At the time of its publication the picture provoked debate over whether it captured reality or whether it was staged.
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Capa became the most famous war photographer, as he strongly participated in the emergence of photojournalism, both in the way of shooting the picture and how much it was reproduced in the press. The powerful effect of the soldier’s body language and all the narrative elements it derives from, also led this photograph to become iconic and to spread all over the world during the following decades. Its uniqueness lies specifically in this outreach, multiple publications and sharing. This picture became part of a collective imaginary, long before the omnipresence of the image. Further the photograph itself, the visual culture around Capa was also inherently made thanks to Gerda Taro. Capa and Taro were one of the most iconic photographer couple. Taro was the first woman to be war reporter. Together, they literally invented a new form of photography, based on the field and on reporting hot topics, but in an aesthetic way: the framing and the composition of the photographs were essential, and Gerda had really a specific mind for marketing Capa’s photos.
Gerda Taro and Robert Capa both dramatically died on the battleground but almost two decades’ difference. The history of their romance strongly contributed to building the Capa myth.
