eugenio quarti was born in villa d'almè, a small village in the province of bergamo, from an artisan family of woodworkers. at the age of 14, he travelled to paris to learn new techniques and broaden his horizons. in 1886, he returned to italy and settled in milan, where he worked for a short period with carlo bugatti before opening his own workshop. quarti is known for his work in the liberty style, an italian variant of art nouveau, and is often referred to as the 'goldsmith of furniture makers' for his fine craftsmanship and use of rare and expensive woods.