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Capa photography mystery remains unsolved
Tuesday 12th August 2008
Chris Cheesman
An investigation that could have solved whether one of Robert Capa's most famous war photographs was staged has found no fresh evidence.
The negative of Capa's 1936 image, 'The Falling Soldier' was thought to have been contained in a suitcase whose discovery in Mexico was announced earlier this year.
The picture shows a Spanish Republican militiaman reeling backwards at what appears to be the moment a bullet strikes him dead.
Investigators at the International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York, have confirmed to Amateur Photographerthat the 'Mexican Suitcase' (pictured) did not contain the crucial negative they were looking for, despite scrutinising each image frame by frame.
Analysis of any related negatives, in particular frames either side of the famous shot, could have solved the 72-year-old mystery once and for all.
Earlier this year, ICP – an organisation founded by Robert Capa's brother Cornell – strongly defended the picture's authenticity.
Cynthia Young, assistant curator of the Center's Capa Archive, told us: 'We stand by Richard Whelan's [Capa's biographer] account of it, most recently published in his book, 'This is War! Robert Capa at Work'.
So far, Capa's contentious picture has only been reproduced from a vintage print.
Picture: International Center of Photography
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