Robert Capa, Falling Militiaman, Córdoba Front, 1936.
The Spanish Civil War witnessed the birth of modern photojournalism. Armed with new, portable cameras such as the Leica, photographers shot thousands of pictures of battle action and civilian life in wartime that were featured in newspapers around the world, as well as in new illustrated magazines such as Life, Picture Post, Regards, and Volks-Illustrierte Zeitung. Among the most prominent photographers of the Spanish Civil War were Robert Capa, Gerda Taro, David “Chim” Seymour, Henri-Cartier Bresson, Agustí Centelles, Manuel Moros, and Kati Horna.
The photographs emerging from Spain also became the subject of controversy. For an example, see this essay on Robert Capa’s iconic Falling Soldier.
Good sources for Spanish Civil War photographs include:
- Robert Capa collection (International Center of Photography)
- Gerda Taro collection (International Center of Photography)
- David “Chim” Seymour collection (International Center of Photography)
- Kati Horna, online catalogue (Spanish Center for Historical Memory, Salamanca)
- Visual Materials Relating to the Spanish Civil War (Library of Congress)
- David “Chim” Seymour collection (Library of Congress)
- Spanish Civil War News Photographs (Library of Congress)