Joel's Blog

The Art Nouveau Furniture of Carlo Bugatti (1856-1940)

12/02/2015

When we hear the name "Bugatti," the first thought that comes to mind are the French Rivera, gorgeous fast cars and a distinct absence of seat belts and air bags. Bugatti was responsible for some of the most wonderful cars ever built. But that was the work of Ettore Bugatti. Carlo was his father. The apple did not fall far from the tree.

We have a tendency today to wax nostalgic over the long apprenticeships that cabinetmakers had, their level of skill and the long, honest craft tradition that they represented. Today, all over the United States one is more likely to find a cabinetmaker with degrees in architecture or design than someone who just had an apprenticeship. This is one reason why modern design has moved away from expressions of craft to expressions of shapes and materials. There is nothing wrong with that -- and a lot right with it. And maybe we can say the modern furniture maker also follows in the long tradition of furniture makers and designers. Carlo was trained as an architect in Italy and Paris, and set up his furniture factory at the age of 24.

When I think of Art Nouveau, I think of the bentwood chairs of Thonet or the sinuous lines of early 20th century French casework. Bugatti's works to my eye are more Victorian plus plus. Delicate, covered in leather, with tons of expensive inlay in silver and copper, the works look pricey (and they were), but they are less a revolution in design than an incremental move towards luxury.

I saw this suite of furniture last week at the New York Art and Antiques show at the Armory. I had never seen any Bugatti furniture in the flesh (so to speak) before, and the suite was a standout in a crowded hall of objets d'arte. Bugatti furniture isn't common in museum furniture collections, and seeing it in person made me wonder if this is because Bugatti is neither fish nor fowl as a designer. Bugatti furniture is a blend of Victorian form with Art Nouveau decoration, but it doesn't fall directly in either camp.
The Art Nouveau Furniture of Carlo Bugatti (1856-1940) 5

The Art Nouveau Furniture of Carlo Bugatti (1856-1940) 5

Join the conversation

12/02/2015 Jeremy

I see the Victorian hues, but to my eye the work looks Arabic....Moroccan maybe.

12/03/2015 Ryan Cheney http://www.mountaintopjoinersshop.com/

This stuff really stands out to me as pretty unique- almost in the way that Greene & Greene stand out among Arts & Crafts designs. I really enjoy you chronicling your museum visits as I live out in Colorado and don't get to the east coast to see all these things hardly ever. I'm going to look further into this Bugatti fellow and his work.

Comments are closed.

Last

The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the blog's author and guests and in no way reflect the views of Tools for Working Wood.

Newer Entries...
	Hayward - You Blow Me Away - 03/23/2016
	Sawmaking returns to 26th Street - 02/10/2016
	New Space - New Plans - Too Much to Do! - 01/27/2016
	Moving! Moving! Moving! and More on Building Decorations - And Popular Science! - 01/13/2016
	The Casual Decoration of Objects Before the 1930's - 01/06/2016
	The Craftsman Magazine, Christmas, & Jacob Riis - 12/30/2015
	Christmas Cheer - 12/16/2015
	Festool Fall Promo - Festool - A - Friend - 12/10/2015
	A Video about Pottery - 12/09/2015
	The Art Nouveau Furniture of Carlo Bugatti (1856-1940) - 12/02/2015
	Repair Tip - 11/25/2015
	A Visit to the Long Island Museum of American Art, History, and Carriages - 11/11/2015
	Begin at the Beginning - 10/28/2015
	Here Lies Duncan Phyfe - 10/21/2015
	July Fourth Weekend and Objects That Connect. - 10/07/2015
	On the Diversity of Saws - 09/30/2015
	Woodcarving At Coney Island - 09/09/2015
	The Philadephia Museum of Art and Festool Fall News - 09/02/2015
	New Saturday Hours - 08/19/2015
	A Look at Violin-Maker's Planes - 07/08/2015
Older Entries...

Hours: M-F 9:00-5:00, closed Sat,Sun
Our Guarantee & Return Policy
Shipping and Sales Tax Info
Privacy Policy
Holiday Calendar

Contact Us: Email: support@toolsforworkingwood.com
Phone: 800-426-4613 or 718-499-5877
Visit Us in Brooklyn: Directions to Our Showroom
© 1999-2019 toolsforworkingwood.com
Powered by 01 Inc. Coded entirely in NYC