One year after its grand re-opening, the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles will unveil the most comprehensive retrospective on the Bugatti family ever seen, showcasing the art, sculpture, furniture and automobiles of the family that changed automotive design, engineering and racing during the art deco period. “Art of Bugatti” will open to the public in the Mullin Grand Salon on the museum’s ground floor on October 23, 2016, and will remain on display for a year. The exhibit will be previewed the night before, during The Petersen’s annual grand gala.
The offering will give museum-goers an inside look at the history of one of the great arts dynasties of the last two centuries, beginning with the patriarch, Carlo Bugatti, and his unique path through the arts that included a mastery of painting, furniture design and manufacture and silversmithing. It then goes into great detail on the work of his sons, Rembrandt and Ettore, as well as Ettore’s children. Art of Bugatti offers a comprehensive history of the family with many examples of the works of art they created, both fine and automotive.
“The Bugattis were an incredibly fascinating family and their history, like all families, is filled with both triumph and tragedy,” said Peter Mullin, chairman of the board of directors for the Petersen. “Their incredible aptitude for art and engineering is unparalleled by any family before or since, and their legacy is worthy of celebration. It’s a great honor to share these works with the public, and I’m so pleased that we could bring this exhibition to the Petersen.”
The vehicles on display will include the Type 41 Royale, Type 57 Atalante, Type 35 and Type 46 along with modern Bugattis like the EB110 and the recently unveiled Chiron. The assemblage of cars represents the entire span of the Bugatti automobile company, and features vehicles designed by both Ettore Bugatti and his son Jean. The exhibition shows the evolution of both the Bugatti’s style and their engineering prowess.
For more information about the Art of Bugatti or about the Petersen Automotive Museum, please visit www.Petersen.org.
