The Remarkable Carlo Gentile: Pioneer Italian Photographer of the American Frontier

During the nineteenth century, wealthy travelers sometimes carried cameras to document their travels, resulting in an album or a small collection of photographs. Some, however, went on to become professional photographers. One wealthy young Italian, Carlo Gentile, was enthralled with the American West, first in Canada and then in the United States. He never returned to Italy but became a distinguished photographer in North America. His subjects ranged from the gold of British Columbia to remote adobe villages in the Arizona Territory. He captured both the Indians of the West and later, formal portraits of the rich and famous of New York and Chicago.

Even though Gentile associated with legendary figures such as Buffalo Bill Cody and Indian rights activist Carlos Montezuma, Gentile's adopted son, the details of his life and work have been obscure. Cesare Marino's extensive research has uncovered a wealth of material to form this fascinating story.