Published in 1938, Death in the Making is a project created by Robert Capa, Gerda Taro, and David "Chim" Seymour in the context of the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939). Conceived as a tribute to the civilians and soldiers who resisted Franco’s fascist insurrection, the project was also dedicated to Gerda Taro, who lost her life while covering the war in July 1937. The work emerged from the photographers’ political convictions and their commitment to documenting the war as independent witnesses, capturing its human toll with an immediacy and urgency that helped redefine war photography. The project was both a passionate call to defend democracy and a pioneering work of photojournalism, showcasing the emotional spectrum of war from initial excitement to harrowing devastation.
The project’s aesthetic approach is characterized by stark black-and-white imagery that conveys both the chaos and the intimacy of war. The compositions vary between dynamic action shots and static portraits, placing the subjects within their war-torn environments. The use of close-up perspectives, dramatic lighting, and deep contrasts intensifies the sense of immediacy, while the interplay of light and shadow underscores the precariousness of life on the battlefield. The images capture both the grand scale of destruction and the intimate moments of resilience, emphasizing the emotional weight of its subjects without sentimentality. Capa’s signature close-range combat photography, Taro’s carefully composed yet spontaneous shots, and Chim’s focus on the civilian experience collectively shape a visual narrative of war’s impact on individuals and communities.
From a technical standpoint, the use of 35mm cameras allowed for greater mobility and spontaneity in the field, making it possible to capture real-time moments with immediacy and precision. Working independently from military authorities, the photographers provided an unfiltered portrayal of the war. Their innovative approach—immersing themselves in the frontline and documenting combat in real-time—became a model for future war photojournalists. The work also reflects the photographers’ commitment to using photography as both a form of witnessing and a political act, advocating against fascism through visual storytelling.
First published in 1938—with captions by Capa and a preface by Jay Allen—Death in the Making appeared alongside an exhibition of prints at the New School for Social Research, circulating as an explicitly anti-fascist photobook and early model of frontline photojournalism. Its visibility waned during the Cold War, but the 2007 recovery of the "Mexican Suitcase" negatives renewed interest and clarified authorship across Capa, Gerda Taro, and David "Chim" Seymour. A remastered Damiani/ICP facsimile in 2020 restored the original layout and image quality and supplied a corrected checklist, and ICP’s 2022–23 exhibition, Death in the Making: Reexamining the Iconic Spanish Civil War Photobook, further contextualized the project’s historical and artistic significance.
