ARTH1100 History of Photography S2017

The photograph of Robert Capa’s “Death of a Loyalist Soldier” in 1936 is a powerful photograph because it was labeled as one of the greatest war photograph that was ever taken throughout the years of photography. However, the photograph has also had controversy surrounding it because of the photograph being staged and other things. After reading the discussion of Richard Whelan on the Capa’s photograph, I found Whelan’s arguments convincing because at one point he talked about Robert Capa’s photograph and comparing it to one of a soldier wearing a one piece boiler suit and how the soldier has the straps running from his shoulders to the cartridge boxes that cross at the center of his chest. Also, how the soldier is holding his gun firmly as his arms twist behind his back. In addition, Richard Whelan talked to other witnesses who were with Robert Capa at the time that he was in Spain taking this iconic photograph which included O.D. Gallagher, Herbert Matthews,  Franz Borkenau, Phillip Knightley and others. From my point of view, I believe that the photograph was staged because of the way the loyalist soldier still has his gun pointing away as the person shot the soldier and also the way that the soldier’s are bent make me think it was staged because the hill that the loyalist soldier was standing on was not that steep and you could see the grass as well. Furthermore, you can see the shadow of the loyalist soldier which is also the reason why I believe this photograph was staged. In the end, authenticity does matter in this photograph because it is labeled as one of the greatest war photograph taken and it showed what war was like at that time.

Robert Capa’s death of a loyal soldier has sparked a lot of controversy and is recognized as the greatest war photograph of all time. However, the photograph has been surrounded by the idea that it may be staged. At first looking at the photograph I thought it did not look right because of the way the person was holding the gun. Robert Whelan’s arguments seem very convincing as he is showing the evidence to prove that the photograph is genuine and includes testimonies of people who were with Capa when he was taking photos. He also could locate exactly the location where Robert Capa had taken the photograph. One can argue both ways on the authenticity of the photograph. I think Capa’s photograph looks staged because of the way the person’s body is positioned and the way he is holding the gun. I feel like he would not extend his arm out after being shot but instead have his arm and gun close to him as he falls. Also to me the hill does not appear steep enough to make his knees bend in that fashion after getting shot. I think the authenticity does matter so people can know the truth about the photograph. But in the end, it’s the authenticity of the photo that makes people talk about it and made many label it as the greatest war photograph.

After reading Richard Whelan’s biography on the authenticity of the photograph “Death of a Loyalist Solider” 1936 taken by Rober Capa, I found out that Whelan’s arguments were convincing. Through Whelan’s evidence and analysis showing this photograph was being staged by the photographer and shared many similarities of the other soldier falling in the same spot. Moreover, there was another picture showing them lining them waving their rifles together. Based on the author’s research, he had given creditable resources to support his argument and gained the strong testimonies to reveal the truth of this photograph. In my point of view, the way that this soldier’s right arm was suspicious in tension. The rifle did not seem to be drop and the way he fell down was like sitting and intentionally bending his knees. Authenticity does matter in life, whether is in photography or things requires the truth because one small detail can change the whole story and a big difference will be make.

Robert Capa’s “the death of a loyalist soldier” is a very action oriented piece and considering this was taken so long ago the exposure of it is astounding. However, there is some valid criticisms that this photograph may indeed be staged, and initially I was very inclined to believe such a thing that the photo itself could not have been taken so precisely at the moment when a man is getting his head blown through with a bullet. However, in Richard Whelan’s discussion, he points out every instance and time frame that Capa had taken prior to taking this photograph. In his long article, he takes out his red string and starts connecting the dots and weeding out the inaccuracies as he takes historical accounts and witnesses that accompanied Capa when he took these photographs. It is extremely hard to deny any of this information because he is displaying the evidence, yet, the entirety of this debacle really stems from the fact that this photograph looks staged. And it most definitely does considering the fact that the soldier is in a very exaggerated position with his gun still in his hand as he is getting shot through what appears to be between his eyes. While this photograph may or may not be staged it does not change the fact this photograph speaks volumes on the state of war and it’s atrocities.

When reading the article “Civil War Cooking: What the Union Soldiers Ate” by Tori Avey, I realized how much of an issue it is to have a good meal during the Civil War. Supplies and ingredients were very limited and soldiers were lucky to be eating at all. Meals usually consisted of meat, a potato, bread and a cup of coffee. Soldiers were used to having their wives cook for them so now being at war, everyone is clueless. Because they had to supply meals for about two million soldiers, the food was very tasteless and unhealthy. This is fascinating to me because in order to fight in a war, I would assume soldiers needed a meal to give them energy and strength. During this time period, only the opposite occurred.
Coffee seemed to be more essential for soldiers than food was. Soldiers relied more on the beverage than anything else to get them through the war. Reading the article “How Coffee Fueled the Civil War” by Jon Grinspan gave me great insight about how important coffee really was. I witness many New Yorkers every morning on the subway with a coffee, relying on it to start their day. This is similar to soldiers at war, before and after their battles. Grinspan writes “Coffee was often the last comfort troops enjoyed before entering battle, and the first sign of safety for those who survived.” Soldiers seemed to do anything to obtain coffee, believing it was essential in keeping them alive during the War.
A food item I cannot live without would have to be cheese. Anything that has cheese involved is a food I would enjoy such as tacos, mac and cheese, pizza, cheese and crackers, quesadillas, mozzarella sticks, grilled cheese, etc.

American soldiers are expected to be strong and able to withstand just about anything. Of course, this not only requires them to maintain a healthy lifestyle but also to eat properly. However, the food that was available for soldiers wasn’t very appetizing or plentiful. Instead, soldiers preferred their fix on coffee over the meals. Coffee has the potency to relieve tiredness and sometimes emotional distress. The average American drinks coffee every morning before going to work or school as a way to get their energy. Same with the soldiers, a cup of coffee was enough to give them energy to keep on fighting. I would say that coffee was probably one of the contributing factors for winning the war.

One food that I can’t live without would be tofu. As a vegan, it’s probably my most potent and reliable source of protein and it’s incredible in so many dishes.