Angelo Monotti

• Name — Angelo Monotti • Born — 24 February 1835 • Birthplace — Cavigliano, Canton Ticino, Switzerland • Died — 5 June 1915 • Place of death — Cavigliano, Canton Ticino, Switzerland • Field — Photography

The son of Giacinto Monotti and Maddalena Selna, he had two brothers, Alessandro and Clemente. He trained as a cabinetmaker in Livorno, where his father and grandfather were active in the wine trade. In 1858 he married Maria Maestretti, a landowner from Verscio, with whom he had five children: Giacinto, Silvio, Alice, Angelina and Valentino.

In 1860, Monotti began working at Giuseppe Marzocchini's studio, where he became acquainted with photography and came into contact with, among others, Alphonse Bernoud and Carlo Neopolo Bettini. He devoted a significant part of his work to portraiture and landscape photography, and also produced postcards and stereoscopies. Returning to the Canton of Ticino in 1873, he opened the photographic studio La Galleria the following year, becoming one of the first professional photographers active in the canton. After establishing a studio in Cavigliano, he opened a second atelier in Locarno in 1895. Alongside his artistic activity, he was also active in politics: between 1876 and 1888, he served two consecutive terms as conservative mayor of his hometown. During his tenure, he continued his photographic work, documenting, among other subjects, the construction of the Centovalli road. His fourth son, Valentino, followed in his footsteps and inherited the photographic studio.