Exhibitions

Between engines and art, the life of the brilliant Bugattis

In London, the work and complex human story of a dynasty of innovators in various fields is retraced. And there is also the only existing original example of the Tipo 39 racing car

27 June 2025

3' min read

This weekend, London rediscovers and celebrates one of the most famous Italian names in the world: Bugatti. A name that immediately makes one think of cars, but which in reality represents three generations of extraordinary artists: the progenitor Carlo, designer of furniture, objects and silverware; his two sons Ettore, engineer and car designer, and Rembrandt, sculptor; and his grandson Jean, Ettore's son who has consolidated the car manufacturer's fame with his creations.

'The brilliant Bugattis', which can be visited at the Treasure House Fair in Chelsea, is the first exhibition dedicated to the extraordinary family for almost fifty years in London. It was organised by Edward Horswell, collector and son of Bugatti art collectors, who managed to convince other enthusiasts to deprive themselves of their treasures for a few days.

'The Bugattis have all been pioneers in their respective fields, they have always managed to marry aesthetics, innovation and functionality and have always strived for perfection,' explains Horswell.

“The brilliant Bugattis”, la creatività dei Bugatti in mostra a Londra
Photogallery15 foto

Carlo, born in Milan in 1856, had studied at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts and then in Paris and had begun to create entirely original furniture inspired by Islamic and Japanese decorative traditions, using different woods, parchment and inlays of brass and pewter. One of his desks from 1904, on display, was made for his friend Giovanni Giacometti and appears in several paintings by his son Alberto Giacometti. Also on show are some very rare silver trays and tea sets created by Carlo's tireless creativity.

Creativity that he managed to pass on to his two sons. Rembrandt, the second son, was a very talented sculptor specialising in portraits of animals that he observed from life and close up. His bronzes of panthers, lionesses, hippopotamuses, deer and antelopes are now highly valued and sought after by collectors. One of the first to discover him was Alain Delon, who had collected no fewer than 39 Rembrandt statues.

"These are not sculptures of animals, they are portraits of that particular animal," explains Horswell. Rembrandt is unique in the way he always managed to capture their personality and individuality. Several bronzes are on display, including a portrait of Wurst, his beloved dachshund dog. In 1916 Rembrandt, depressed by the war which had among other things forced the Antwerp Zoo to kill many of the animals he had portrayed, committed suicide. He was 31 years old.

The life of Carlo's eldest son, Ettore, was also touched by tragedy. A true automotive pioneer, engineer, designer, innovator, he was a key player in a nascent industry from 1899, when he built his first car, until his death in 1947. Like his father, Ettore was eclectic: he rightly became and remained famous for his cars, but he also designed buildings, ships, planes and even trains, amassing over a thousand patents for his inventions. On display is one of the rarest Bugattis in the world, the only existing original example of the Type 39 racing car, which won the Monza Grand Prix in 1925. A century later, the current owner drives it regularly on the roads of England.

Ettore's closest collaborator was his son Jean, who had inherited from his father both his talent for design, aesthetics and innovation and his technical and mechanical skills. On display is one of his designs, the Type 57 touring car. In 1939 Jean died in a car accident while testing a new model, the Tipo 57C. He was in his thirties.

Tragedy put an end to the automobile dynasty: since 1952, after Ettore's death, the car manufacturer has passed into other hands. The London exhibition is an opportunity to rediscover the works of three generations of a brilliant family: the Bugattis were truly brilliant.

"The Brilliant Bugattis", Treasure House Fair, London
From 26 June to 1 July
www.treasurehousefair.com

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Between engines and art, the life of the brilliant Bugattis

In London, the work and complex human story of a dynasty of innovators in various fields is retraced. And there is also the only existing original example of the Tipo 39 racing car

“The brilliant Bugattis”, la creatività dei Bugatti in mostra a Londra

Brand connect

I prossimi eventi

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