100 years of Leica, a century of the camera we all wanted: "The most iconic photos of the 20th century would be unthinkable without it."

There are brands whose names alone spark passion. Rolls-Royce, Rolex, Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga... even Leica. Since their launch in 1925, their cameras have become symbols of excellence and the beginning of the popularization of photography. Until then, if you wanted to take a photo, you had to be in a studio or carry bulky equipment that included a gigantic tripod and a large-format camera. The Leica I marked the beginning of a new era in photography . The device allowed photographers to work discreetly, quickly, and efficiently, to be at the center of events and capture them without any preparation. Street photography, war photojournalism, portraits of nature and the most remote places were born. The world was just a click away.

The author of that revolution was the German engineer Oskar Barnak , who worked for the German optics company Leitz. A photography enthusiast and tired of carrying heavy and cumbersome cameras, in 1914 he designed a portable device weighing just 400 grams, which due to its small size was initially called the Liliput . The First World War delayed its commercialization until 1925, when it was released as the Leica I. To celebrate the 100 years since then, the legendary brand has chosen the Fernán Gómez Theater, Cultural Center of the Villa de Madrid, for a free exhibition that brings together 174 images of great masters of the eighth art , with a focus on the Spanish, represented by around thirty photographs.

“The Leica I marked the beginning of a new era: photographers could discreetly capture events from the inside. The most iconic images of the 20th century would be unthinkable without it ,” emphasizes Karin Rehn-Kaufmann , curator of the exhibition and head of Leica’s 28 gallery stores worldwide. “We are celebrating 100 years of Leica, but also 100 years of photography,” emphasizes Matthias Hrasch , the company’s CEO. “It’s an event not only for Leica fans, but also for lovers of culture, art, and life itself.”

The seminarian trying to save a penalty by Ramón Masats, the spirited bell ringer ringing the bells of Utrera by Koldo Chamorro, the endearing cross-eyed girl Isabelita by Ricard Terré, the assault guards hiding behind two horses killed in the Spanish Civil War by Agustín Centelles. Also, Alberto Korda's portrait of Che Guevara, converted into a symbol of the revolution; the man jumping with an umbrella in front of the Eiffel Tower by Elliot Erwitt; and the indigenous people by Sebastião Salgado are some of the images captured with a Leica that have become embedded in the collective imagination.

The perfection of their cameras makes them an infallible instrument for great photographers. Their high price has also turned them into an elitist accessory to show off . Owning a Leica gives the photographer confidence; it makes the rest of humanity feel like a member of a privileged class. A cult object adored by its hooligans and ignored by those who couldn't, or wouldn't, afford one, the Leica is a universal icon.

"The camera is a tool; it's the people behind it who create the moment," warns Rehn-Kaufmann. Steve McQueen, Anthony Hopkins, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Cary Grant, Queen Elizabeth II of England... the list of Leica owners is as diverse as it is extensive. Not even Pope Francis resisted it . It was in May 2024 that the German brand offered the Pontiff a unique model of the Leica MA, custom-crafted in immaculate white chrome with the Vatican coat of arms engraved on it and equipped with a Leica Noctilux-M 50mm f/1.2 lens. "The Pope was thrilled to hold it in his hands," recalls Reh-Kaufmann, a privileged witness to the moment. The device, which will be auctioned next November for charity, can be seen at the Leica gallery-store in Madrid on September 27.