MARINA GINESTÀ — ¡NO PASARÁN!

Barcelona, 1936 — A Face of the Spanish Civil War

Seventeen years old. A borrowed rifle. A photograph that became an icon.

This black racerback tank top from Reading Frames — Printed Editions brings together one of the most recognizable photographs of the Spanish Civil War and the legendary Republican slogan ¡No pasarán! — “They Shall Not Pass!”

FRONT — MARINA GINESTÀ, BARCELONA, JULY 21, 1936

On July 21, 1936, just days after the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, seventeen-year-old Marina Ginestà stood on the rooftop of the Hotel Colón in Barcelona, overlooking Plaça de Catalunya.

With a rifle slung over her shoulder, she turned toward the camera.

The photograph was taken by Hans Gutmann, later known as Juan Guzmán.

Her confident expression, the rifle, and the Barcelona skyline created an image that would become an enduring symbol of youthful resistance.

But there is a remarkable detail behind the photograph.

The rifle was borrowed.

Ginestà later recalled that she had been given the weapon specifically for the photograph. Despite the image's military appearance, her wartime activities were primarily political and journalistic. She also worked as an interpreter.

THE WOMAN BEHIND THE IMAGE

Marina Ginestà survived the Spanish Civil War.

Following the defeat of the Spanish Republic in 1939, she went into exile, spending part of her life in Latin America before eventually settling in France.

She died in Paris on January 6, 2014, at the age of 94.

The young woman in the photograph lived long enough to see her image become a historical icon.

BACK — ¡NO PASARÁN!

“They Shall Not Pass!”

Few slogans are more closely associated with the Spanish Civil War.

¡No pasarán! became a rallying cry of the Republican resistance against the military uprising led by Francisco Franco and other generals.

The phrase is especially associated with Dolores Ibárruri, known as La Pasionaria, and the defense of Madrid in 1936.

On the back of this garment, the historic slogan appears in vintage-inspired typography, accompanied by JULIO 1936.

The slogan represents the broader Republican movement, not a personal quotation from Ginestà.

THE IMAGE AND THE HISTORY

One photograph. One slogan. Two forms of historical memory.

The photograph captures a young woman at a particular moment. The slogan belongs to a collective political struggle.

Together, they reveal how images and words can outlive the events that produced them, acquiring meanings far beyond their original circumstances.

ABOUT READING FRAMES

Reading Frames is an independent artistic project exploring archival photography, visual history, and the stories behind historical images.

Our Printed Editions bring carefully selected photographs into contemporary compositions while