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Fornasetti Furniture

The Italian artist, illustrator and furniture maker Piero Fornasetti was one of the wittiest and most imaginative design talents of the 20th century. He crafted an inimitable decorative style from a personal vocabulary of images that included birds, butterflies, hot-air balloons, architecture and — most frequently, and in some 500 variations — an enigmatic woman’s face based on that of the 19th-century opera singer Lina Cavalieri. Fornasetti used transfer prints of these images, rendered in the style of engravings, to decorate an endless variety of furnishings and housewares that ranged from chairs, tables and desks to dinner plates, lamps and umbrella stands. His work is archly clever, often surreal and always fun.

Fornasetti was born in Milan, the son of an accountant, and he lived his entire life in the city. He showed artistic talent as a child and enrolled at Milan’s Brera Academy of Fine Art in 1930, but was expelled after two years for consistently failing to follow his professors’ orders. A group of his hand-painted silk scarves, displayed in the 1933 Triennale di Milano, caught the eye of the architect and designer Gio Ponti, who, in the 1940s, became Fornasetti’s collaborator and patron. Beginning in the early 1950s, they created a striking a series of desks, bureaus and secretaries that pair Ponti’s signature angular forms with Fornasetti’s decorative motifs — lighthearted arrangements of flowers and birds on some pieces, austere architectural imagery on others. The two worked together on numerous commissions for interiors, though their greatest project has been lost: the first-class lounges and restaurants of the luxury ocean liner Andrea Doria, which sank in 1956.

Fornasetti furnishings occupy an unusual and compelling niche in the decorative arts: they are odd yet pack a serious punch. They act, essentially, as functional sculpture. A large Fornasetti piece such as a cabinet or a desk can change the character of an entire room; his smaller works have the aesthetic power of a vase of flowers, providing a bright and alluring decorative note. The chimerical, fish-nor-fowl nature of Fornasetti’s work may be its greatest strength. It stands on its own. Bringing the Fornasetti look into the future is Barnaba Fornasetti, who took the reins of the company after his father's death.

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Creator: Fornasetti
Table Cammei Blue on Sponged Brown, Column Base, Vintage
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
A Fornasetti table is the perfect synthesis of the artist's vision: a perfect balance of functional design and visionary illustrations that bring new meaning to a common object. Like all Fornasetti pieces of furniture, it is handcrafted using original artisan techniques. This table is silk-screened by hand, hand painted and covered with a smooth lacquer. Cammei decoration is inspired by one of the collections of Piero Fornasetti. This decoration combines Piero's interests about history, collecting and classic culture. The atelier often uses this decoration for its most popular pieces: from screens to ashtrays, from lamps to trays, plates and paper baskets This table is published on several books among which Piero Fornasetti. Fornasetti the complete Universe, Rizzoli NY. Also a copy of the same table...
Category

1950s Italian Modern Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

Fornasetti Mani Umbrella Stand
By Fornasetti
Located in Downingtown, PA
Atelier Fornasetti Mani Umbrella Stand, Signed & Dated 2007 The Fornasetti cylindrical umbrella stand is decorated with the Mani pattern which is an extended arm on a black backg...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

Fornasetti Curved Cabinet Architettura Black and White Wood
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The curved cabinet shape was designed by Barnaba Fornasetti in 2003 and now it can be considered one of the most iconic pieces of furniture in the Itali...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Wood

Ceramic Plate with Vegetable Face Fornasetti
By Fornasetti
Located in Atlanta, GA
Fornasetti porcelain plate with face made with arranged vegetables. Stamped "2, Fornasetti-Milano, Made in Italy, Arcimboldesca'" to the underside.
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Vintage Fornasetti Oggetti Con Nastro Wastebasket / Trash Can
By Fornasetti
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A wonderful example of this form. This example was deaccessioned from the Fornasetti Archives. Original surface is very nice.
Category

1950s Italian Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

20th Century Piero Fornasetti Set of 4 Chairs in Black Lacquered Wood '90s
By Fornasetti
Located in Turin, Turin
Set of 4 chairs (4 pieces in total) designed by Atelier Fornasetti in '50s and produced in '90s. The chairs have the structure entirely in lacquered wood, the 4 feet are linked to the seating through metal plates. The chairs have been entirely restored so this set could be considered ready for use. Very good condition, ready to be shipped. For shipping the legs can be dismantled and get a smaller...
Category

1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

Piero Fornasetti Tema e Variazioni Porcelain Black and White Large Dish Charger
By Fornasetti
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
The Italian artist and illustrator Piero Fornasetti was one of the wittiest, most imaginative design talents of the 20th Century. He crafted an inimitable decorative style from a personal vocabulary of images that included birds, butterflies, hot-air balloons, architecture and, most frequently, an enigmatic woman’s face. Fornasetti used...
Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Cylindrical Metal Lamp Base Viso Black/White, Iconical Fornasetti Face Decor
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The cylindrical shape allows Fornasetti's imagination to create surprising decorative effects in which the shapes follow one another endlessly. The metafisical face design makes this hand-silkscreened metal lamp base...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

Fornasetti Set of 2 Silk Cushions Grande Pesce Fish
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The Fornasetti cushions will add to each room an unexpected detail thanks to the most iconic Italian atelier designs. It is a set of two cushion...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Silk

Vintage Piero Fornasetti Black and White Ashtray of a Roman Chariot
By Fornasetti
Located in Downingtown, PA
Vintage Piero Fornasetti black and white ashtray of a Roman chariot, 1950-1960s. The Piero Fornasetti Neoclassical ashtray depicts a Roman chariot in black and white.
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Set 12 Porcelain Plates Eva Black/White
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
This set of twelve hand-decorated porcelain plates, as a whole, forms the figure of Eva. You can use the ensemble for ornamental purposes or...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

1960s Set of Six Fornasetti Tea Cups and Saucers White and Gold Ceramic Signed
By Fornasetti
Located in London, GB
A good vintage Set of six Fornasetti porcelain tea/coffee cups and saucers with geometrical gold decor. Each cup and saucer bearing the signature and logo. Made in Italy ca.1960s ...
Category

1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Italian Post-Modern Ceramic Wall Calendar Plate 2013 by Fornasetti, 2013
By Fornasetti
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian post-modern Ceramic wall calendar plate 2013 by Fornasetti, 2013 Wall calendar plate of 2013, limited edition, in ceramic. It present a drawing ...
Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Ceramic Julia Dinner Plate by Fornasetti for Rosenthal
By Rosenthal, Fornasetti
Located in Atlanta, GA
A "Julia" porcelain plate with surrealism designs by Piero Fornasetti for Rosenthal, an iconic series from 'Temi e variazioni' (“Themes and Va...
Category

Late 20th Century German Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Italian Post-Modern Ceramic Wall Calendar Plate 2012 by Fornasetti, 2012
By Fornasetti
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian post-modern Ceramic wall calendar plate 2012 by Fornasetti, 2012 Wall calendar plate of 2012, limited edition, in ceramic. It present a drawing ...
Category

2010s Italian Post-Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Porcelain Plates from the Musical Instruments Series by Piero Fornasetti, 1950s
By Fornasetti, Piero Fornasetti
Located in MIlano, IT
Porcelain plates from the Musical Instruments series by Piero Fornasetti, 1950s with screen-printed and hand-painted decoration. Produced and designed in the 1950s by Piero Fornasetti. Present the brand of the manufacture. This plate are very rare and in very good conditions, probably never used as plate but just to decorations for a living wall or in a kitchen furniture...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Barnaba Fornasetti Calendar Plate for 2013 with Piero Fornasetti Self Portrait
By Fornasetti
Located in Downingtown, PA
Barnaba Fornasetti Calendar Plate for 2013, with Piero Fornasetti Self Portrait, #518 of 700 The plate depicts an image of Piero Fornase...
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Fornasetti Curved Cabinet Notturno Hand Colored Wood
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The curved cabinet shape was designed by Barnaba Fornasetti in 2003 and now it can be considered one of the most iconic pieces of furniture in the Itali...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Wood

Piero Fornasetti Astrological Zodiac Plate, Cancer, Gli Zodiaci Farmacope
By Fornasetti
Located in Downingtown, PA
Vintage Piero Fornasetti Astrological Zodiac Porcelain Plate-for the Zodiac sign Cancer, Gli Zodiaci Farmacopei, No 8, Especially made for Crinos By...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Fornasetti Wall Plate Porcelain Gold 1980 Italy
By Fornasetti
Located in Milano, IT
Fornasetti.
Category

1980s Italian Other Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Set of 5 1950s Piero Fornasetti Grandi Maestri Gold Ceramic Plates
By Fornasetti
Located in London, GB
Set of 5 Fornasetti ceramic /gold plates “Grandi Maestri” series. Ceramic plate by Piero Fornasetti of the series ” Grandi Maestri ” Music Great Masters. Ceramic, silk screen prin...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Fornasetti Silk Cushion High Fidelity Cat
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The Fornasetti cushions will add to each room an unexpected detail thanks to the most iconic Italian atelier designs. Cushion cover material: S...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Silk

'Lux Gstaadt' Chair by Fornasetti, Contemporary
By Fornasetti
Located in London, GB
Charming chair with the back rest decorated both sides with Fornasetti's muse, Lina Cavalieri, sporting a purple knitted ski hat with a yellow pom-pom. Hand-c...
Category

2010s Italian Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Lacquer

Ceramic Julia Dinner Plate by Fornasetti for Rosenthal
By Rosenthal, Fornasetti
Located in Atlanta, GA
A "Julia" porcelain plate with surrealism designs by Piero Fornasetti for Rosenthal, an iconic series from 'Temi e variazioni' (“Themes and Va...
Category

Late 20th Century German Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Pair of Table Lamps Model Julia by Fornasetti
By Fornasetti
Located in Brussels, BE
Pair of table lamps model Julia by Fornasetti, sticker on the base, circa 1970.
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

Silk Furnishing Panel with Acrylic Glass
By Fornasetti
Located in Montelabbate, PU
Fornasetti silk printed panel between 2 sheets of plexiglass, like new, still with plastic protection.
Category

1980s Italian Modern Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Silk, Resin

Set 12 Porcelain Plates Adamo Black/White
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
This set of twelve hand-decorated porcelain plates, as a whole, forms the figure of Adamo. You can use the ensemble for ornamental purposes ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Handmade Decorative Centrepiece Rosone Black White Gold
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The art of the table is manifested in this hand-decorated porcelain centrepiece with gold accents: Fornasetti's unmistakable decorative style makes it a true collector's item. Any...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Pair of Italian Fornasetti Musical Instrument Themed Plates
By Fornasetti
Located in Saint Louis, MO
Beautiful Italian musical instrument plates by Piero Fornasetti, an Italian versatile and eclectic artist, characterized by an unstoppable creative flair that made him one of the most prolific figures of the 20th century, and difficult to ascribe to a specific movement. Titled Strumenti Musicali Piccoli and made in Italy. Want to see more beautiful things? Scroll down below and click "View All From Seller" or favorite our shop to get your 1stDibs on our new inventory. Photographed along with and also available within our shop- Charles Hollis Jones Glass and Lucite Dining Table Pair of Mastercraft Brass Bamboo Dining Chairs Imperial Glass Bamboo...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Fornasetti Cushion Abbaglio from the Series Tema e Variazioni Cotton
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The Fornasetti cushions will add to each room an unexpected detail thanks to the most iconic Italian atelier designs. The decoration features t...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Cotton

Fornasetti Cushion Chiave Key from the Series Tema e Variazioni Cotton
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The Fornasetti cushions will add to each room an unexpected detail thanks to the most iconic Italian atelier designs. The decoration features t...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Cotton

Ceramic Julia Dinner Plate by Fornasetti for Rosenthal
By Rosenthal, Fornasetti
Located in Atlanta, GA
A "Julia" porcelain plate with surrealism designs by Piero Fornasetti for Rosenthal, an iconic series from 'Temi e variazioni' (“Themes and Va...
Category

Late 20th Century German Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Fornasetti Duck Ceramic 1960 Italy
By Fornasetti
Located in Milano, IT
Fornasetti duck ceramic 1960! Italy.
Category

1960s Italian Other Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Cylindrical Handmade Black Pleated Silk Lampshade
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
This cylindrical lampshade in silk with a metal frame is the ideal complement to create, together with the base, a lamp that becomes an art object. Any minor discrepancies between...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Wood

Ceramic Plate with Vegetable Face Fornasetti
By Fornasetti
Located in Atlanta, GA
Fornasetti Porcelain Plate with face made with arranged vegetables. Stamped "6, Fornasetti-Milano, Made in Italy, Arcimboldesca'" and "Arzberg Germany...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Sun Floor Lamp by Fornasetti, Italy, 1990s
By Fornasetti
Located in SAINT-OUEN, FR
Floor lamp sun face in soft stamped plastic by Fornasetti for the editor Antonangeli Illuminazione.
Category

1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Plastic

Fornasetti Bar Stool Tergonomico Handcrafted Black and White Wood
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The Fornasetti chairs and stools are going to be the most surprising detail of your house. This stool is handcrafted using original artisan techniques. It is silk-screened by han...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

Paperweight
By Fornasetti
Located in New York, NY
Porcelain paperweight printed with two figures in a chariot pulled by six horses. Marked Fornasetti Milano Made in Italy on the underside.
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Fornasetti Table Bocca Red Lips Brass Tripod Base
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
A Fornasetti table is the perfect synthseis of the artist's vision: a perfect balance of functional design and visionary illustrations that bring new meaning to a common object. Meas...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Brass

Cylindrical Handmade White Silk Lampshade
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
This cylindrical lampshade in silk with a metal frame is the ideal complement to create, together with the base, a lamp that becomes an art object. Any minor discrepancies between...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Wood

Fornasetti Cushion Mano Hand from the Series Tema e Variazioni Cotton
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The Fornasetti cushions will add to each room an unexpected detail thanks to the most iconic Italian atelier designs. The decoration features t...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Cotton

Ceramic Plate with Vegetable Face Fornasetti
By Fornasetti
Located in Atlanta, GA
Fornasetti porcelain plate with face made with arranged vegetables. Stamped "4, Fornasetti-Milano, Made in Italy, Arcimboldesca'" and "Arzberg Germany...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Cylindrical Lamp Base Comme Des Fornà, Black White Red
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The cylindrical shape allows Fornasetti's imagination to create surprising decorative effects in which the shapes follow one another endlessly. The architectural design makes this hand-silkscreened metal lamp base...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

Fornasetti Italian Mid-Century 1960s Yellow Metal Table Lamp
By Fornasetti
Located in London, GB
A lithographical and transfer printed yellow metal table lamp by Piero Fornasetti made in the 1960s and in the form of a Roman column. This lamp has...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

Ceramic Plate with Vegetable Face Fornasetti
By Fornasetti
Located in Atlanta, GA
Fornasetti porcelain plate with face made with arranged vegetables. Stamped 11, Fornasetti-Milano, Made in Italy, Arcimboldesca'" and "Arzberg Germany...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Ceramic Plate with Vegetable Face Fornasetti
By Fornasetti
Located in Atlanta, GA
Fornasetti Porcelain plate with face made with arranged vegetables. Stamped "1, Fornasetti-Milano, Made in Italy, Arcimboldesca'" and "Arzberg Germany...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Fornasetti Table Bocca Red Lips Brass Tripod Base
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
A Fornasetti table is the perfect synthesis of the artist's vision: a perfect balance of functional design and visionary illustrations that bring new meaning to a common object. Meas...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Brass

Handmade Centrepiece Tema E Variazioni n°399 White Black Burnished Gold
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The art of the table is manifested in this hand-decorated porcelain centrepiece with gold accents: Fornasetti's unmistakable decorative style makes it a true collector's item. Any...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Fornasetti Table Top Cortile Celeste Architectural Motif, Wooden Legs
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
A Fornasetti table is the perfect synthseis of the artist's vision: a perfect balance of functional design and visionary illustrations that bring new meaning to a common object. ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Wood

Fornasetti Wooden and Metal Box Champagne Black/White Hand Painted
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
Like all Fornasetti accessories, the boxes turn an everyday action into an aesthetic experience. The Fornasetti boxes are a whimsical place to keep your most precious items. This ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

Fornasetti Vase Ajna Black/White/Gold
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
Another classic of the Fornasetti catalogue, vases' uncommon shape mixed with the timeless beauty of Lina Cavalieri, Piero Fornasetti’s enduring muse, bri...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Fornasetti Tray Holder Black
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
Fornasetti trays become elegant coffee tables by adding this black wood base. Is suits a 25 x 60 cm wood tray. The image shows the tray on its holder (the tray is not included in ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

Fornasetti Vase Clown Black/White/Gold
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
Another classic of the Fornasetti catalogue, vases' uncommon shape mixed with the timeless beauty of Lina Cavalieri, Piero Fornasetti’s enduring muse, bri...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Plaid Cats on Books by Piero Fornasetti
By Fornasetti
Located in Brussels, BE
Plaid cats on books by Piero Fornasetti.
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Textile

Fornasetti “Plate Calendar n 20” Porcelain, 1987, Italy
By Fornasetti
Located in Milano, IT
Fornasetti “Plate Calendar n 20” porcelain, 1987, Italy.
Category

1980s Italian Other Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Fornasetti Tray Holder for a Tray Black Wood
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
Fornasetti trays become elegant coffee tables by adding this black wood base. Is suits a 60 cm diameter metal round tray. The second image shows the tray on its holder (the tray ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Wood

Piero Fornasetti Gilded Plate Falstaff by Guiseppe Verdi, Italy, 1970s
By Fornasetti
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful gilded porcelain plate "Falstaff by Guiseppe Verdi" by Piero Fornasetti, Milano from the 1970s. Diameter 10", stamped on its backside. In very good condition with light w...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Umbrella Handler by Fornasetti
By Fornasetti
Located in Saint-Ouen (PARIS), FR
Vintage umbrella handler in lacquered metal with a musical theme signed by Fornasetti, Italy, 1960s.
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

Fornasetti furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Fornasetti furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of ceramic and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Fornasetti furniture, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 143 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 53 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Fornasetti were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Richard Ginori, Alfredo Barbini, and La Murrina. Prices for Fornasetti furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $274 and can go as high as $32,216, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $1,614.
Questions About Fornasetti Furniture
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Fornasetti is an art design company that produces furniture and home accessories decorated by hand. Piero Fornasetti established the company in Milan, Italy, during the 1950s as his atelier. As of December 2021, his son, Barnaba Fornasetti, heads the company. You'll find a selection of Fornasetti on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    You can buy Fornasetti directly from the brand's online store. In addition, numerous brick-and-mortar retailers around the world carry Fornasetti pieces. You can also shop for the brand's furniture and home décor on multiple online platforms. You'll find a collection of Fornasetti on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Piero Fornasetti was an Italian artist and designer born in Milan, Italy, in 1913. In 1950, he founded an atelier in the city, creating furniture and home decorations. Fornasetti died on October 9, 1988. His company, Fornasetti, continues to produce hand-decorated decor under the guidance of his son Barnaba Fornasetti. Find a collection of Fornasetti on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 1, 2024
    The style of Fornasetti is mid-century modern. The Italian artist and designer crafted an inimitable decorative style from a personal library of images rendered in transfer print engravings, including birds, butterflies, hot-air balloons, architecture and an enigmatic woman's face, to decorate an endless variety of furnishings and housewares that range from chairs, tables and decorative objects to dinner plates, table lamps and umbrella stands. On 1stDibs, shop an assortment of Piero Fornasetti art, furniture and decorative objects.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Yes, each and every Fornasetti design is hand made and hand painted. The colors are expertly applied by painters, ensuring no two items are alike. You’ll find a variety of Fornasetti designs from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    To hang Fornasetti plates, thread a length of string through the two small holes found on the tops of their backs. Tie the string in a secure knot and then hang from a nail, screw or hook. Avoid using plate hanger hardware, as it could crack or damage the plates. You'll find a collection of Fornasetti plates on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Fornasetti plates are hand-made in Italy. They continue a tradition of excellent craftsmanship that goes back to founder Piero Fornasetti, who established the atelier during the 1950s. Shop antique and modern Fornasetti plates from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 27, 2024
    The style of art by Fornasetti varied. His use of whimsical motifs has often led his artwork to be associated with Surrealism, while his use of repetitive imagery, like in his many prints featuring opera singer Lina Cavalieri, skewed toward Pop art. As a designer, his works reflected mid-century modern sensibilities with a playful twist. Explore a collection of Piero Fornasetti art and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMay 14, 2024
    Piero Fornasetti is famous for his work as a designer. The Italian artist was one of the wittiest and most imaginative talents of the 20th century. Fornasetti crafted an inimitable decorative style from a personal vocabulary of images that included birds, butterflies, hot-air balloons, architecture and — most frequently, and in some 500 variations — an enigmatic woman's face based on that of opera singer Lina Cavalieri. Fornasetti used transfer prints of these images, rendered in the style of engravings, to decorate an endless variety of furnishings and housewares that ranged from chairs, tables and decorative objects to dinner plates, table lamps and umbrella stands. His work is archly clever, often Surrealist and always fun. On 1stDibs, shop an assortment of Piero Fornasetti pieces.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    To burn a Fornasetti candle, first trim the wick to remove any soot. Then, light the candle and allow it to burn for up to three hours. Use a snuffer to extinguish the candle, as blowing out the flame can disturb the wax. Find a collection of Fornasetti on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    How you display Fornasetti plates is largely a matter of personal preference. Some people prefer to rest them flat on a low table or shelf, while others position them upright on plate stands. You can also thread string or twine through the two holes found on the back of every piece and display it as wall art. Find a collection of Fornasetti plates on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Opera singer Natalina ‘Lina’ Cavalieri is the face that inspired Piero Fornasetti throughout his artistic career, from his plates to wallpaper and more. Lina Cavalieri was known as the most beautiful woman in the world during her lifetime from 1874-1944. It was eight years after Cavalieri’s death that Fornasetti came across her image in a magazine and was thereby inspired to replicate it repetitively. On 1stDibs, find a collection of authentic Fornasetti plates from some of the world’s top sellers.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    No, every Fornasetti porcelain figurine is handmade. In fact, the brand produces all of their home decorative items by hand at their workshop in Milan, Italy. If you see indications that a figurine came from a factory, it is likely not an authentic Fornasetti. Shop a collection of expertly vetted Fornasetti on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Whether or not Piero Fornasetti images are in the public domain depends on the image. The artist produced more than 11,000 works during his lifetime. Only some no longer carry a copyright and are in the public domain. Shop a range of Fornasetti on 1stDibs.

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