El Círculo de Bellas Artes Together with Sold Out, it presents the largest retrospective in Spain dedicated to Robert Capa, one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century. The exhibition brings together more than 250 pieces—period photographs, publications, and personal objects—from the Golda Darty Collection and the Magnum Photos archives.

A reporter's perspective

Robert Capa (Budapest, 1913 – Indochina, 1954) became the leading figure in modern photojournalism. His career, though brief, led him to cover five decisive conflicts: the Spanish Civil War, the Sino-Japanese War, World War II, the first Arab-Israeli War, and the Indochina War. In each of these, he sought to be at the heart of the action, convinced that "if your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough."

At the beginning of his career, the figure of Gerda Taro (Stuttgart, 1910 – Brunete, 1937), his professional and personal partner, was decisive. Together they developed one of the most significant collaborations in 20th-century photojournalism. They covered the Spanish Civil War and shared the signature “Robert Capa,” under which their images began to circulate in the international press.

Some of his images are now part of the collective memory: the famous Death of a Loyalist Militiaman, a symbol of the Civil War; the photographs taken under enemy fire on Omaha Beach during the Normandy Landings; or the intimate portraits of soldiers and civilians that reveal the most human dimension of the conflict.

Original photographs and personal items

The exhibition brings together an exceptional collection of original photographs, developed by Capa himself, allowing viewers to appreciate how they circulated in newspapers and magazines of the time. These images retain the immediacy of the moment, with all the urgency and marks of their era, far removed from the more heavily retouched later copies.

Alongside these items are personal belongings—such as one of his Leica cameras, his typewriter, and travel documents—that offer a glimpse into the photographer's daily life. These objects serve as a reminder that Capa was, in addition to being a reporter, a vibrant and inquisitive man, passionate about film, travel, and friendship.

Beyond the war

Although his name is linked to war photography, Capa also photographed major cultural figures such as Picasso, Hemingway, and Ingrid Bergman, and explored other genres like fashion, film, and travel photography. From the late 1930s onward, he experimented with color, and after World War II, he frequently incorporated it into his photojournalism for international magazines.

The color scenes that can be seen in the exhibition offer a different perspective: a lesser-known Capa, who captures the vitality of everyday life, landscapes and portraits with surprising freshness.

The legacy of a myth

Capa died in 1954, at the age of 40, after stepping on a landmine while covering the Indochina War. His short life and his commitment to always being "at the heart of the action" made him a legend. Years earlier, in 1937, Gerda Taro had tragically died on the Brunete front, becoming the first female photographer killed in combat. Her loss deeply affected Capa and cemented the myth of a couple united by passion and the risk of telling the story from within.

After his death, his brother Cornell Capa dedicated himself to preserving and disseminating his legacy, to which the Magnum Photos agency—founded by Robert along with Henri Cartier-Bresson, David “Chim” Seymour and others—and numerous researchers also contributed.

The recognition of Gerda Taro, recovered in recent decades and to which el Círculo de Bellas Artes dedicated an exhibition in 2010 (Gerda Taro. This is War. Robert Capa at Work), allows us today to understand the work of both as part of the same visual and human adventure.

Today, his images continue to resonate with the same force as decades ago. They not only show what happened, but also how he chose to view it: with empathy, humanity, and a clear commitment to those suffering the violence of war.

An opportunity to rediscover it

The retrospective offers a comprehensive overview of Capa's career, from his earliest photographs to his final reportage, showcasing both his most iconic images and lesser-known pieces. Visitors can discover the intrepid reporter who risked his life on the front lines, but also the man who delighted in capturing scenes of friendship, travel, and culture.

The exhibition, in short, invites visitors to approach the figure of Robert Capa in all his breadth: the photographs that helped to define the language of modern photojournalism and whose work, more than half a century later, continues to illuminate the dilemmas of our present.

Image credits: The American troops land on Omaha Beach on D-Day, Normandy, France, June 6, 1944 ©Robert Capa/International Center of Photography/Magnum Photos