Features - Historical

SEPTEMBER 19, 2000

The Bugatti Family

BY JOE SAWARD

Carlo Bugatti was born in Milan in 1856. The son of a sculptor and inventor who spent his life trying to discover perpetual motion, Carlo studied at the Brera Academy in Milan and later at the Ecole des Deaux Arts in Paris. He chose furniture making. In 1880 he married Therese Lorioli. In the years that followed his furniture became wellknown. In 1902 he exhibited at the International Exhibition in Turin and his fame spread worldwide. He quit his job with the De Vecchi company and moved with his family to Paris. He opened a workshop in the 13eme arrondissement and began to experiment in gold and silver.


Carlo Bugatti was born in Milan in 1856. The son of a sculptor and inventor who spent his life trying to discover perpetual motion, Carlo studied at the Brera Academy in Milan and later at the Ecole des Deaux Arts in Paris. He chose furniture making. In 1880 he married Therese Lorioli. In the years that followed his furniture became wellknown. In 1902 he exhibited at the International Exhibition in Turin and his fame spread worldwide. He quit his job with the De Vecchi company and moved with his family to Paris. He opened a workshop in the 13eme arrondissement and began to experiment in gold and silver.

The birth of his second son Rembrandt ruined the health of Therese and so Carlo moved the family to Compiegne, in the shadow of the medieval chateau of Pierrefonds. Rembrandt turned to art and created his first sculpture at 15 under the tutelage of Prince Troubetzoy. He sculpted animals and created an elephant as a radiator cap for Ettore's Royale, but committed suicide at the age of 31.

His second son Ettore turned to mechanical design and in 1898, at the age of 16, began to work at Stucchi and Prinetti, a motorised tricycle manufacturer in Milan. He improved the vehicle, making a two-engined version which was raced in nine Italian events in 1899. In 1900 he created a three-litre, four-cylinder car with chain drive. In 1901 he entered the car at the first automobile exposition in history in Milan and won a gold medal. In 1909 he created the Deutz-Bugatti Type 10. This became the prototype for all future Bugattis. In 1926 he deigned and built the Type 41 Bugatti Royale. Seven chassis of this 200-horsepower car were built. It is the most sought-after car in the world.