International Center of Photography’s Post

Known publicly as Gerda Taro, Gerta Pohorylle died today, July 26, in 1937 at the young age of 26. She is recognized as the one of the first woman war photographers to die on the front lines. ⁠ ⁠ Born in Stuttgart, Germany, Taro left home for Paris in 1933 when Hitler became chancellor. As an anti-Nazi activist who had recently been arrested, her family encouraged her to leave Germany as the situation became increasingly dangerous. The next year Taro met Robert Capa, who had also fled to Paris. When the Spanish Civil War broke out in 1936, together they photographed the Loyalist troops, initially both making images under the name Robert Capa. Taro eventually broke out on her own, procuring images under her own name until her untimely death, which resulted from the Battle of Brunete. ⁠ ⁠ Today, we are left with Gerda Taro’s powerful images created within four short years. Her photographs include many depictions of children; refugees; soldiers in-action; and soldiers eating, drinking, and at rest.⁠ ⁠ You can view the second image in Selections from ICP at 50, on view at ICP today. Learn more about the exhibition here: https://lnkd.in/eMiZr7rv Images:⁠ 1: Fred Stein, Gerda Taro (detail), Paris, 1933-35. Gift of the Estate of Fred Stein, 1993 (242.1993)⁠ ⁠ 2: Gerda Taro, Militiawoman training on the beach, near Barcelona, August 1936. The Robert Capa and Cornell Capa Archive, Gift of Cornell and Edith Capa (2010.100.53)⁠ ⁠ 3: Gerda Taro, Loyalists on Horseback, Spain, February 1937. The Robert Capa and Cornell Capa Archive, Gift of Cornell and Edith Capa, 2010 (1936.5.5.34)⁠ ⁠ 4: Time (detail), February 28, 1938. Museum Purchase, 2010 (2010.49.1)⁠ ⁠ 5: Gerda Taro, Children watching the training of the New People's Army (detail), Valencia, Spain, March 1937. Gift of Cornell and Edith Capa, 2002 (377.2002)⁠ ⁠ 6: Gerda Taro, War orphan eating soup, Madrid, 1936-37. The Robert Capa and Cornell Capa Archive, Gift of Cornell and Edith Capa, 2010 (1936.2.7.51)

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