Carlo Bugatti 1856-1940

Carlo Bugatti was a versatile artist - designer, cabinetmaker, decorator, and architect - and one of the foremost figures of European Art Nouveau and the Italian stile Liberty. Within these movements, he developed a highly individual aesthetic, producing forms so distinctive that they remain instantly recognizable.

Born the son of architect and sculptor Giovanni Luigi Bugatti, he received his first artistic training from his father in Milan before enrolling at the Brera Academy in 1875. Soon after, he pursued architectural studies at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Returning to Milan, he trained in cabinetmaking under Mentasti until opening his own workshop around 1880. His work quickly attracted commissions, and he began participating in major international exhibitions to establish his reputation.

By 1888, he had captivated the British aristocracy at the Italian Exhibition in London. He later won a silver medal at the 1900 Exposition Universelle and the Grand Jury Prize at the 1902 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative Arts in Turin. From 1900 onward, Bugatti spent increasing time in Paris, where he established a studio and eventually settled permanently in 1904. There, he expanded his practice to sculpture and goldsmithing.

In 1910, he retired to Pierrefonds in the Oise, serving as mayor during World War I. He continued to participate in international exhibitions, presenting works in metal and decorative arts. In 1935, he moved to Alsace, taking up residence in the north wing of the Bugatti industrial site in Molsheim, where he lived until his death in 1940.