One of the most important photobooks of the 20th century is coming back into print. Death in the Making, Robert Capa’s 1938 book documenting the Spanish Civil War, has been reissued by Damiani in co-publication with the International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York.

Originally published as a tribute to those fighting Franco’s fascist insurrection, the book brings together photographs by Capa and his partner Gerda Taro, who was killed covering the conflict in 1937 and to whom the original was dedicated. It traces the emotional arc of the war, from the early excitement and momentum of the Republican cause to its harsher and more devastating realities.

Original layout, new research

The new edition faithfully reproduces the original layout, designed by André Kertész, alongside the original texts, including Jay Allen’s foreword. It adds a new essay by Cynthia Young, a complete image checklist and restored image quality.

Perhaps most interesting for photo historians is that the new research reveals photographs in the original book that were taken by Chim (David Seymour), Capa’s friend and later Magnum co-founder, but which went unattributed at the time.

Largely forgotten after the Second World War, Death in the Making is now seen as a landmark in the development of the photobook and of modern war photography. Its publishers say this reissue repositions the work within today’s context of global conflict, misinformation and the evolving role of photography in shaping how we understand events.

Our take

For anyone interested in the history of documentary photography, and for students learning how to sequence a story in pictures, this is an essential book. Capa’s and Taro’s work was shot on film and printed in the darkroom under conditions few of us can imagine, and seeing it presented as originally intended, with credit finally given to Chim, makes this reissue far more than a simple reprint.

Death in the Making specifications

Death in the Making price and availability

Death in the Making is published in autumn 2026 and is priced at €45 from Damiani. It is also available from the ICP shop. UK pricing is to be confirmed.