Portraits

When he was at home in Paris, most of Capa’s closest friends were American expatriates: Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, Irwin Shaw, the columnist Art Buchwald, the screenwriter Peter Viertel, and the film directors John Huston and Anatole Litvak. His circle also included Pablo Picasso and Françoise Gilot. The Magnum photographers were Capa’s extended family; he welcomed all of them into his glittering world. Like any good businessman, he never missed an opportunity to sell “exclusive” reports on his friends, and after Ingrid Bergman introduced him into Hollywood, he was quick to detect the potential of a new market: photographing film shoots and film stars. Capa’s pictures of Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse reveal a great talent for portraiture. He was also a good client for his fellow photographers: they all applauded his warmth and sense of humour, which are evident in the portraits presented here.