The Bugatti Brothers: Ettore's Cars and Rembrandt's Animal Sculptures
The Bugatti brand is synonymous with high-end vehicles and has its origins in a lineage of Italian artists. Carlo Bugatti, a talented designer, and his spouse Teresa Lorioli had two children: Ettore, the founder of the automobile company, and Rembrandt, a distinguished sculptor. Ettore was born in Milan in 1881 and left the Academy of Fine Arts in 1898 to work as an apprentice in a factory, where he developed his first prototype, the Type 1, that same year. He established his automobile factory in Alsace in 1909, producing iconic models like the Type 41 Royale. Rembrandt, born in 1884, was known for his animal sculptures and earned the Légion d'Honneur in 1911, but tragically took his own life in 1916. The brothers worked together on the elephant mascot for the Bugatti Royale.
Key facts
- Ettore Bugatti was born in Milan in 1881 and founded the Bugatti automobile company in 1909 in Alsace.
- Rembrandt Bugatti was born in Milan in 1884 and became a sculptor specializing in animals.
- The Bugatti family included Carlo Bugatti, a furniture and jewelry designer, and Giovanni Segantini, an Impressionist painter.
- Ettore's Type 2 won first prize at the Milan Trade Fair in 1901.
- The Type 35 won the Monaco Grand Prix and over 2,000 races.
- The Type 41 Royale was produced in only six units.
- Rembrandt exhibited at the Venice Biennale at age 19.
- Rembrandt received the Légion d'Honneur in 1911.
- Rembrandt died by suicide in 1916.
- Ettore registered over 1,000 patents and built about 7,800 automobiles.
- The Bugatti brothers collaborated on the elephant mascot for the Royale.
Entities
Artists
- Ettore Bugatti
- Rembrandt Bugatti
- Carlo Bugatti
- Giovanni Segantini
- Giovanni Luigi Bugatti
- Ercole Rosa
- Adrien-Aurelién Hébrard
Institutions
- Academy of Fine Arts in Brera
- Venice Biennale
- Royal Society of Zoology
- Jardin des Plantes
- Musée d'Orsay
- Alte Nationalgalerie
- Sotheby's
- Volkswagen Group
Locations
- Milan
- Italy
- Paris
- France
- Antwerp
- Belgium
- Alsace
- Germany
- Berlin