By Bud McIntire….
After completing a recent automotive trip to Italy and having an afternoon free before flying home from Milan, I learned that 80 cars from the well-known, but now-closed firm of Carrozzeria Bertone were on exhibition in Volandia Museo…within walking distance of the Milan Malpensa airport. This museum is primarily for the history of Italia aviation, but one building was dedicated to this Bertone collection.
As most know, such iconic cars at the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint & Sprint Speciale, Lamborghini Miura & Countach, Lancia Stratos, etc. were designed by Bertone and his studio of designers. So why, as a Citroën enthusiast, am I talking about Bertone? Because, within the same building was a special exhibition on the automotive designs and artwork of Flaminio Bertoni!! What a surprise!
Designer of the Traction Avant, 2CV, DS & Ami, Bertoni was the artistic companion to engineering genius André Lèfebvre over 35 years.
I didn’t realize that before Citroën, Bertoni designed automobiles for Delage & Delahaye, among other French automotive concerns.
I also didn’t know that he was an exceptional fine artist with many examples of his paintings & sculptures on exhibition. As my time was a bit limited, I had only time to peruse the many examples of his works & take some representative photos, but it was enough to leave even more impressed with his genius.
Lastly, as I was going through the gift shop on the way out, I noticed several examples of a regularly-published magazine specifically about Flaminio Bertoni, as was the title. I don’t know of another automotive designer who has (or had) a periodical specifically about their work.
A last tip for those whose Italian is rusty…as mine is. ‘E’ is pronounced like a long ‘A’ & ‘I’ is pronounced like a long ‘E’. Now you can pronounce Bertone & Bertoni correctly! 😊
If you are planning to visit I suggest you check with the museum to make sure the display is still ongoing.