An incredible collection of works by Carlo Bugatti (1856 -1940)
Carlo Bugatti (1856-1940) Carlo Bugatti, born in Milan in 1856, is best known for his innovative furniture and interior design, which are characterized by their use of unusual materials and decorative motifs. Bugatti had an artistic background, his father being an architect and sculptor. His sons carried on this tradition, Rembrandt becoming a sculptor of some renown and Ettore, a car designer, founding the Bugatti automobile company. Around 1880, after training in architecture and cabinetmaking, Carlo Bugatti opened his own studio in Milan and began to produce furniture. Its inventive and theatrical construction gradually evolved from dramatic rectilinear shapes to more fluid forms. This furniture was unique in its time and remains so today. Bugatti also incorporated a variety of unusual materials into his furniture, such as fringing and tasselling, which added an exotic flavour and softened the hard-edged geometric style. Other unusual materials were used to embellish Bugatti’s furniture, including brass pressed with geometric patterns, pewter and other metal inlays, silk cords, ivorine (an aritficial product that has the charactistics and look of ivory), white wood and bone. His use of vellum is also particularly characteristic and Bugatti often illuminated it with plant motifs in a soft brown wash or a delicate spider with web. He often framed these panels with strips of copper beaten with geometric patterns. Bugatti’s employment of asymmetry contributed significantly to the individual nature of his work. Its use is striking yet his furniture never appears unbalanced or out of proportion. It is completely grounded and rich with exotic ornament and imagination.
We are delighted to be able to present to you a stunning collection of these delicate and exotic works of art. A collection which has taken over a decade to formulate, signature features include Bugatti’s use of ebonized wood inlaid with metal, which has been described as Moorish but, equally, may owe as much to Japanese inspiration as to Islamic and European. Strikingly original, Carlo Bugatti’s furniture combines the picturesque asymmetry of Art Nouveau with the exoticism of Moorish, Eurpoeanand Japanese influences.
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22-23 St Mary’s Street, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 1ED +44(0) 1743 343452 / +44 (0)7810 714545 +1 615 870 7639 art@callaghan-finepaintings.com / www.callaghan-finepaintings.com
Exceptionally Rare Three Seater Sofa
Circa: 1900 Inlaid with metal, composed of of two curule chairs upholstered with vellum which has been decorated with floral motifs. Decorated with applications of wrought copper throughout. Featured in the Bugatti book by Phillipe Dejean. Provenance: Rothschild, New York circa 1960 until 2019 Rothschild, Waddeson Manor, Buckinghamshire, England Callaghans of Shrewsbury 2019 until present Size: 56” x 97” x 21”
Another version of this fringed and tasselled piece of exotica is in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
It was during the 1890s that Carlo’s use of vellum intensified and became one of the characteristics and unique features of his work, along with an increased stylization and geometrization, marked by the recurrence of the circle.
“The First in Italy to create, and not just to dream, a modern style of Furniture” -Aldredo Melani Architect & Art Critic
Carlo was nicknamed ‘The Young Leonardo’ for the diversity of his creative drive.
An Important Two Seater Bench part of the Three Piece Suite
Circa: 1900 A delicate design with infinit luxurious detail. Highly decorated wood inlaid with pewter, bone, hand beaten copper and polychrome painted vellum embleshed with hand painted ink drawings. Ivorine has been used in small blocks in an architectural fashion, juxtaposing large and small rectangles to create a dentil inlay effect. Provenance: Private Collection, Paris Size: 42” x 46” x 20”
The ‘Important Two Seater Bench’ & ‘Large Centre Table’ photographed with ‘Le Dorade’ - Oil on Canvas - 17” x 46” by Claude Venard (1913-1999)
Carlo’s passion for decoration was perhaps the essence of his talent. During his most sophisticated period, from about the 1890’s on, he displayed brilliance as a graphic artist and his furniture are worthy of study in close up, the detail being often more fascinating and revealing than the whole.
Rare Pair of Curved Throne Chairs Part of the Three Piece Suite
Circa: 1900 Highly decorated stained walnut wood, profusely inlaid with white wood, pewter & ivorine. Hand beated copper applications throughout the piece and covered in vellum with hand painted floral motifs. Provenance: Private Collection, Paris Size: 42” x 23” x 20”
The smooth curve joining the backrest to the front legs of the sofa gives the design a smooth and architectural feel.
Carlo Bugatti’s furniture was made in his own workshops in Milan, where he worked with his own hands, but there would have been no lack of skilled craftsmen from whom he could have recieved instruction and assistance. The high level of craftmanship is evident in his incredible work.
Impressive Centre Table
Circa: 1890 Black stained wood, profusley inlaid with white wood, ivorine, pewter, and covered in vellum with hand painted floral motif’s. Decorated with four wrought copper disks and hand beaten copper on the legs. Provenance: Private Collection, Milan Size: 29” x 39” x 25”
Match Pair of Stools or Wine Tables
Circa: 1890 Easily identifiable as being crafted in the 1890’s as Bugatti increasingly stylised his work with geometrization of his pieces. The repetitive geometric pattern, of tiny inlaid squares and triangles of pewter, bone,white wood and yellow and blue-toned metals. Hand beaten copper applications applied to the legs. Provenance: Private Collection, USA Size: 17” x 14”
“Bugatti’s style is not destined, like the other to remain a passing fancy, it could very well become like the classical styles, the mark of a school, of an epoch or of a century” - Rossi Saccheti
Exquisite Salon Centre Table
Circa: 1905 Black stained wood with ornate legs arranged in a diamond shape, giving the piece an incredibly modern feel. Decorated with applications of copper, white wood & ivorine. The table top is decorated profusely with delicate floral motifs & pewter. The Upper part of the table evokes Eastern dwelling. Provenance: Private Collection, USA Size: 30” x 28” x 20”
Sketches inform us that Bugatti's studio practice relied on intensive variations on key themes. This is part of the reason why every Bugatti piece is distinctly of the artist, and why no two pieces are the same.
Salon ‘Escargot’ at the expososition Turin 1902
Exceptionally Rare Keyhole Hallway Floor Mirror Circa: 1890
Highly detailed turned black stained wood, hand pressed beaten copper with bone and white wood applications with a fusion of intricately turned turnings. Decorated with hand painted floral and bird motifs. Provenance: Private Collection, Germany Size: 83” x 36” x 7”
Bugatti used small bone white wood and ivorine carved blocks to create a detailed inlay and applied effect, as seen here to create a contrast of colour against the black wood.
One of a Kind Intrically Detailed Octagonal Centre Table
Circa: 1890 Black lacquered wood, profusely inlaid with white wood, intrically detailed with ivorine and lighter inlay wood. The circular centre is covered with vellum. Decorated with four wrought copper disks and copper applications on the legs. Provenance: Private Collection, USA Size: 30” x 39”
‘Exqusite Rectangular Side Table’ featured with ‘Tribal Pincess’ Oil on Panel - 14” x 10” - by Ignacio Trelis.
An An Incredible Incredible Rare Rare Pair Pair of of Petit Petit Mirrors Mirrors Circa: Circa: 1902 1902
‘Pair Petit Mirrors’ Two tone wood profusely inlaid Two toneof wood profusely inlaid
36” x bone Width:12” with white and withHeight: white wood, wood, bone and hand hand x Depth: 4“ beaten beaten copper. copper. Hand Hand painted painted Circa 1890 floral floral motif’s motif’s are are inlaid inlaid throughout. throughout. The The mirrors mirrors Two tone wood with applications terminate terminate in in exqusite exqusite hand hand of ivory and hand beaten turned turned finials. finials. copper, with hand painted floral motif’s. Provenance: Private Collection, Provenance: Private Collection, St St Tropez Tropez Size: Size: 36” 36” xx 14” 14”
An Amazing Circular Wall Mirror
Circa: 1900 Two tone wood profusely inlaid with bone, hand beaten copper and pewter. Wrought iron hinged door enclosing three graduated trinket draws. Complete with original key. Provenance: Private Collection, Paris Size: 29” x 31”
The Circular motif as shown here in this Circular mirror was widely explored by Bugatti and is featured in some of his very best work. The incredible small bone pieces that are so intricately laid with the upmost precision, add another dimension to the piece.
Beautifully inlaid with floral motifs and intrically detailed with bone and copper.
A Spectacular Circular Wall Mirror
Circa: 1900 Two tone wood profusely inlaid with bone, hand beaten copper and pewter. Wrought iron hinged door enclosing three graduated trinket draws. Complete with original key. Provenance: Private Collection, Rome Size: 29” x 31”
Creations of seemingly baroque elaboration reveal, on closer inspection, elements of pure logic, and the whimsical decorator is revealed as a a disciplined and at times, a visionary designer.
His “ebonized” wood and inlays were described as “Mauresque” but many of his forms and painting styles illustrated as much Japanese influence as Islamic. Stylized forms from nature were often painted in multiples along with elaborate insertions of ebony, but the power of distinction came from his ubiquitous circles, either cut into the panels or applied in hand hammered copper over sheets of delicately painted parchment. Elaborate turned rods and silk tassels introduced vertical highlights in an additional blend of haute couture and Romanesque architecture, with the spirit of Asian mystery. - Larry Crane, Bugatti before the Cars
We would like to thank the following Museums and Organisations for their contribution and integrile imput into compiling this incredible collection. • Musee d’Orsay, Paris • The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York • The Victoria and Albert Musuem, London • The Cleveland Musem of Art, Ohio •
22 & 23 St Marys Street, Shrewsbury, SY1 1ED Tel: +44(0) 1743 343452/ +44(0) 7810 714545 USA Cell: +1 615 870 7639 art@callaghan-finepaintings.com/ www.callaghan-finepaintings.com Follow us @callaghansart
22 & 23 St Marys Street Shrewsbury SY1 1ED, UK Tel: +44(0) 1743 343452 UK Mobile: +44(0) 7810 714545 USA Cell: +1 615 870 7639 art@callaghan-finepaintings.com www.callaghan-finepaintings.com Follow us @callaghansart