Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Imaginative, bold and full of poetic details, the work of Carlo Bugatti pushed the boundaries of the Art Nouveau style. The Italian furniture designer and decorative artist’s celebrated chairs, tables and other pieces are representative of a range of influences that include European Gothic, Moorish traditions and classical Japanese art. Bugatti’s appetite for experimentation with new forms and materials has fueled the imaginations of designers everywhere.
Bugatti was born in 1856 in Milan. The son of successful interior decorator, sculptor and architect Giovanni Bugatti, Carlo set out to follow in his father’s footsteps, studying architecture at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera and working as a cabinetmaker. He moved to Paris in 1875 to continue his studies in design at the prestigious Academie des Beaux-Arts. By the early 1880s, Bugatti had moved back to Milan to continue his career in furniture design.
Antique Bugatti seating, center tables and other large furnishings are visually striking in their level of ornamentation. These works feature hand-carved motifs and were frequently inlaid with luxury materials such as mother-of-pearl, ebony and brass — his distinctive Throne chair (ca. 1900), for example, featured pierced copper and vellum. Detailed themes rooted in nature, stencils and geometric patterns adorn his venturesome decorative screens and handcrafted mahogany and walnut chairs and tables.
In 1888, the designer displayed his work publicly for the first time, showcasing pieces at the Industrial Arts Exhibition in Milan and later at the Italian Exhibition in London. His flamboyant furniture led to his becoming an overnight success among members of the aristocracy, who flooded him with commissions to design custom furniture for their homes. In 1904, Bugatti and his family moved to France, where designed furniture for department stores such as Maison Dufayel and Le Bon Marché. His two sons also pursued work in design — Rembrandt Bugatti became a noted sculptor while Ettore gained renown as a leading automobile designer and manufacturer.
Although his furniture became increasingly subdued in appearance over the years — and he would eventually begin to design serveware and jewelry — Bugatti garnered acclaim throughout his career. He received an award at the 1900 Paris Exposition and exhibited interiors and a furniture collection at the inaugural International Exposition of Modern Decorative Arts in Turin, Italy, in 1902. Today, Bugatti’s work remains on permanent display at the Musée de la Chartreuse in Molsheim, France.
Find antique Carlo Bugatti seating, tables and case pieces on 1stDibs.
19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Copper
19th Century French Art Nouveau Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Copper
Early 1900s Italian Art Nouveau Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Copper, Zinc
20th Century French Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Copper, Pewter
Early 1900s Italian Art Nouveau Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Goatskin, Walnut
20th Century Italian Victorian Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Copper
20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Metal, Silver
Late 19th Century Italian Gothic Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Brass, Pewter
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Brass, Pewter
Early 1900s Italian Art Nouveau Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Wood
Early 1900s Italian Art Nouveau Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Walnut
Early 1900s Italian Art Nouveau Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Copper, Pewter
20th Century Italian Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Copper
Late 19th Century Italian Modern Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Copper, Pewter
Early 1900s Italian Modern Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Copper
Early 1900s Italian Art Nouveau Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Oak
Late 20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Steel
1820s Austrian Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Satinwood
1890s Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Oak
19th Century European Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Pine
19th Century British Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Walnut
Early 1900s Brazilian Art Nouveau Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Jacaranda
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Walnut
1880s French Victorian Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Pine
Mid-19th Century French Directoire Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Oak, Walnut
Early 20th Century American Edwardian Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Walnut
Late 19th Century British Aesthetic Movement Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Oak
19th Century English Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Oak
Early 1900s Italian Modern Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Copper
1890s Italian Modern Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Wood
1890s Italian Modern Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Wood
1890s European Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Pewter
Early 1900s Italian Art Nouveau Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Pewter, Metal, Copper
Early 1900s Italian Art Nouveau Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Walnut
20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Copper
20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Copper
20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Copper
Late 19th Century Italian Antique Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Brass, Pewter
Early 20th Century European Art Nouveau Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Leather, Wood
20th Century Art Nouveau Carlo Bugatti Furniture
Animal Skin, Wood, Parchment Paper