Edited by:
Massimo Martini
It is a large-format book, trilingual (Italian, French, English), absolutely unique and for this very reason difficult to classify.
It is certainly easy to understand: it is a collection of 400 photographs taken on the summit of the Matterhorn and grouped according to their affinities. All lovers of the mountains, and of the Matterhorn in particular, will find some particularly interesting shots here: those who are inclined to history will see the faces of old guides and illustrious clients such as Queen Maria José; those who document the 'greats' will be pleased by the clicks depicting characters such as (to name but a few) Giusto Gervasutti, Achille Compagnoni, Luigi Carrel known as the Carrellino, Gaston Rebuffat. Other photos are in a certain sense 'auteur' photos, since they were taken by illustrious hands in the field of mountaineering: first of all the one depicting the guide Joseph Gaspard and Mario Piacenza. It was Jean-Joseph Carrel who immortalised them, after they had made the first ascent of the Furggen ridge together. However, there is no shortage of shots by Maurizio Bich, Gabriele Boccalatte and the aforementioned Mario Piacenza. As far as possible mentions of protagonists of recent decades are concerned, we would be spoilt for choice and certain of wronging many by listing only a few. We can say without fear of contradiction that anyone who has frequented Breuil with a certain continuity, whether as a tourist or from Valle d'Aosta, will find familiar faces; for many it will be a flash of the good old days. Some will find friends who have now disappeared, others will see unfamiliar faces, but they will see tools and clothes that have long since gone out of fashion: they will remember having owned them practically identical, and having walked the most beautiful trails in their own modest mountaineering career. Such an impressive photo gallery concludes with two due acts/shoots: Bruno Brunod, who in September 1997 set the speed record on the Breuil-to summit of the Matterhorn-Breuil route in 3 hours and 14 minutes, achieving an extraordinary athletic performance, but stabbing in the back those who make the climb to that summit one of the most intense moments of their lives. And it is to these that the last space in the book is dedicated: it is left blank so that everyone can paste in their own photo, whether they have already 'done' the Matterhorn or will certainly 'do' it one day.