Bugatti family
Carlo Bugatti, the patriarch

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to see the Bugatti family tree
(established by Hugh Conway 1979 - 1981, completed by the site’s author)

- click on the pictures and on the yellow links to enlarge -

Start with the patriarch of the family, Carlo Bugatti, born in Milan (Italy) on February 16th 1856.  Son of Giovanni Luigi Bugatti, an architect doubled as a sculptor of monumental fireplaces, and of Amelia Salvoni , Carlo undertakes studies at the academy Brera in Milan, then to the Académie des Beaux Arts in Paris.  In 1880 he creates his first known work, a complete furniture of bedroom with vegetable motifs inlaid metal, of ivories, elevated copper of Japanese and Islamist style decorations, that he offered to his sister Luigia at the occasion of her marriage to the painter Giovanni Segantini. The same year, he marries Theresa Lorioli (1862-1935) who gives him a daughter, Deanice, then two sons, Ettore and Rembrandt .  Carlo is in 1902 at the summit of his career and he obtains the honour diploma of the first international exposition of the Decorative Arts of Torino (Italy).  In 1904, he leaves Milan for Paris that had attracted him for many years.  He puts himself then to work on silverware pieces and jewelry to the motifs of animals and of stylised insects.  He establishes himself about 1910 in Pierrefonds (in a house called “villa La Roulotte”), in the Oise French department, where he befriends Clément Bayard, the well-known French automobile manufacturer. When the war of 1914 bursts, Clément Bayard, mayor of the town in the aera, leaves Pierrefonds to transform his automobile factory into armament manufacture and consigns the city hall to Carlo Bugatti.  In 1918, after the return of Clément Bayard, Carlo Bugatti divides his time between Pierrefonds and Molsheim, where lives his son Ettore.  He joins him definitively in 1937 after the deaths of his daughter Deanice in 1932, then of his spouse in 1935.  The old patriarch that was a cabinet-maker, jeweler, engraver, painter, inventor, died on 31 march 1940, 84 years old, in Ettore's house in Molsheim. He was buried in the family vault at Dorlisheim cemetary with the military honours because of his behaviour in Pierrefonds during the first World War.

One knows practically nothing of the life of the elder daughter of Carlo Bugatti, Deanice, except she never married and never had children. She died in 1932 in Milan, 52 years old. She was buried with her parents in the family vault at Dorlisheim cemetary.

The youngest son of Carlo, Rembrandt , is without any doubt the most gifted one of this artistic family. Discover his life and his art by clicking on Rembrandt Bugatti.

At last, the second son of Carlo, Ettore , interests us more particularly because he was to the origin of Automobiles Bugatti, of which the renown was immense in this era and of which the prestige remains intact again today. Discover his astonishing life by clicking on Ettore Bugatti.

Some pieces of art by Carlo Bugatti click on the pictures to enlarge