Flaminio Bertoni
Encyclopedia
Flaminio Bertoni is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, 10 January 1903 - Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 7 February 1964) was an automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
designer, responsible for some of the most radical reconceptualisations of automobiles ever. He worked in the years preceding World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
until his death in 1964. Before his work in industrial design, Bertoni was a sculptor.
Contemporary journalists often noted that he followed a "clean sheet" approach to design, taking absolutely nothing for granted. His designs met with solid market acceptance; they tended to be designs that observers either loved or hated and were considered by some to be too far ahead of their time. Working at Citroën
Citroën
Citroën is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën , Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that...
for decades, Bertoni designed the Traction Avant (1934), 2CV
Citroën 2CV
The Citroën 2CV |tax horsepower]]”) was an economy car produced by the French automaker Citroën between 1948 and 1990. It was technologically advanced and innovative, but with uncompromisingly utilitarian unconventional looks, and deceptively simple Bauhaus inspired bodywork, that belied the sheer...
, the H van
Citroën H Van
The Citroën H Van, Type H, H-Type or HY is a light truck produced by the French car maker Citroën between 1947 and 1981. It was developed as a simple front wheel driven van after World War II. A total of 473,289 were produced in 34 years in factories in France and Belgium...
, the DS
Citroën DS
The Citroën DS is an executive car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën between 1955 and 1975. Styled by Italian sculptor and industrial designer Flaminio Bertoni and the French aeronautical engineer André Lefèbvre, the DS was known for its aerodynamic futuristic body design and innovative...
, and the Ami 6
Citroën Ami
The Citroën Ami is a supermini produced by the French automaker Citroën from 1961 to 1978. The Ami and stablemate Citroën Dyane were replaced by the Citroën Visa and Citroën Axel . The Ami was for some years the best-selling car model in France...
. The DS was often exhibited at industrial design showcases, such as the 1957 Milan Triennial Exposition.
For a long time after his death, he was largely forgotten in his hometown, but recently the Province of Varese
Varese
Varese is a town and comune in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 55 km north of Milan.It is the capital of the Province of Varese. The hinterland or urban part of the city is called Varesotto.- Geography :...
dedicated a museum to his memory. It opened in May 2007.