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.
$950
Piero Fornasetti, Mid-Century Modern, Exhibition Poster, Paper, Light Wood Frame
By Fornasetti
Located in Stamford, CT
Mid-Century Modern Piero Fornasetti Exhibition Poster, Deocrative Art, Framed PIERO FORNASETTI (1913-1988) 'Fornasetti's Decorative Objects' poster Italy, 1989 Provenance: Christie...
Wood, Paper
Set of 8 porcelain egg cups by Fornasetti
By Fornasetti
Located in Milano, IT
Italy, Milano 1950’s D 14,5 Eight porcelain egg cups decorated with medallions.
Porcelain
Erotic YOBITSUGI STYLE VASE by Aaron Scythe
By Aaron Scythe
Located in Morton Grove, IL
YOBITSUGI STYLE VASE (INV# NP2717) Aaron Scythe porcelain, clay, underglaze, glaze 8 x 6 x 6” 2020 This vase is made of several different vases, cut apart and enameled back together!
Porcelain, Stoneware, Glaze
$174Sale Price|20% Off
H 13.78 in W 7.49 in D 0.04 in
An old fairy tale 1978, paper, linocut, 35x19 cm
By Nikolai Uvarov
Located in Riga, LV
An old fairy tale 1978, paper, linocut, 35x19 cm "An Old Fairy Tale" is a linocut artwork created on paper in 1978. The dimensions of the piece are 3...
Paper, Linocut
Yes
Located in New York, NY
ABOUT THIS ARTIST: Vanessa Power, also known as, Signs of Power, is a Dublin based artist who specializes in custom lettering, type based murals and han...
Photographic Paper
$750Sale Price|51% Off
H 52.25 in W 43 in D 1.25 in
Large Vintage Heraldic Shield with Crown Print
Located in Plainview, NY
A large vintage heraldic shield with crown print showing intricate details. The print is matted and framed in a custom gilt wood frame. Dimensions: 4...
Glass, Wood, Paper
$450
H 11.94 in W 8.13 in
Set of Two Leaves from "Missale Frisingense" /// German Catholic Incunabula 15th
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Erhard Ratdolt (German, 1442-1528) Title: "Preface Page" and "Page CVI - 106" Portfolio: Missale Frisingense Year: 1492 (First edition) Medium: Set of Two Original Incunabula Leaves on watermarked laid paper Limited edition: Unknown Printer: Erhard Ratdolt, Ausburg, Germany Publisher: Sixtus of Tannberg, Freising, Germany Reference: Hain No. 11303; Weale/Bohatta No. 396; Schreiber No. 4699; Pell No. 7944 Sheet size (each): approx. 11.94" x 8.13" Condition: "Preface Page" has the occasional wormhole. Remnants of tape, a tape and a paper clip stain along its edge. Minor foxing and soiling mainly in margins. "Page CVI - 106" has remnants of tape and a small stain along its left edge. Light foxing and soiling about its sheet with some general edge wear. Have been professionally stored away for decades. They are both otherwise strong impressions in good condition with strong colors Very rare Notes: Comes from Ratdolt's one volume "Missale Frisingense", (1492) (First edition), which consists of 576 pages of Gothic texts in Latin with red rubricated initials, music, and woodcut engraved illustrations. Printed in Augsburg by Erhard Ratdolt on March 17, 1492. "Preface Page" has a bull's head and cross watermark in the upper center of its sheet. Some information and old prices inscribed in pencil to their sheets. A missal is a book that contains the prayers, chants, biblical readings, and rubrics for celebrating Mass. The first missals were found in monasteries in the 12th and 13th centuries. The term missale is Latin for "Mass book". Biography: Erhard Ratdolt (1442–1528) was an early German printer from Augsburg. He was active as a printer in Venice from 1476 to 1486, and afterwards in Augsburg. From 1475 to 1478 he was in partnership with two other German printers. The first book the partnership produced was the Calendarium (1476), written and previously published by Regiomontanus, which offered one of the earliest examples of a modern title page. Other noteworthy publications are the "Historia Romana of Appianus" (1477), and the first edition of "Euclid's Elements" (1482), where he solved the problem of printing geometric diagrams, the "Poeticon astronomicon", also from 1482, "Haly Abenragel" (1485), and "Alchabitius" (1503). Ratdolt is also famous for having produced the first known printer's type specimen...
Laid Paper, Woodcut
$5,000
H 12 in Dm 12 in
Porcelain plate of Princess of Wales Theatre ceiling design (Limited Edition)
By Frank Stella
Located in New York, NY
Frank Stella Ceiling: Princess of Wales Theatre, 1996 Limited Edition Silkscreened Porcelain Plate in presentation box 12 inches diameter Edition 262/2000 Rarely found stateside - es...
Porcelain, Mixed Media, Screen
Airplane, 12x9cm, porcelain
Located in Yerevan, AM
Airplane, 12x9cm, porcelain Limited edition 1
Porcelain
$1,330
H 17.33 in W 13 in D 0.04 in
Pablo Picasso (after) Helene Chez Archimede - Wood Engraving
By (after) Pablo Picasso
Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH
Pablo Picasso (after) Helene Chez Archimede Medium: engraved on wood by Georges Aubert Dimensions: 44 x 33 cm Portfolio: Helen Chez Archimede Year: 1955 Edition: 240 (Here it is on...
Wood, Archival Paper, Engraving
$600Sale Price|50% Off
H 23.5 in W 24 in D 0.75 in
Alexander Chen Stereolithography Signed and Numbered Framed Print, a Pair
Located in Plainview, NY
A pair of Alexander Chen Stereolithography Signed and Numbered Framed Prints. One print is titled "Aloha Tower" and the other "Hong King Evening". Each ...
Glass, Wood, Paper
Awe
Located in New York, NY
ABOUT THIS ARTIST: Vanessa Power, also known as, Signs of Power, is a Dublin based artist who specializes in custom lettering, type based murals and han...
Photographic Paper
Love
Located in New York, NY
ABOUT THIS ARTIST: Vanessa Power, also known as, Signs of Power, is a Dublin based artist who specializes in custom lettering, type based murals and han...
Photographic Paper
$500
H 12.5 in W 8.88 in
Set of Three Leaves from "Breviarium Pataviense" /// German Catholic Incunabula
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Erhard Ratdolt (German, 1442-1528) Title: "Vol. 6, page 10-11", "Vol. 6, page 6-7", and "Vol. 6, 28-29" Portfolio: Breviarium Pataviense Year: 1490 (First edition) Medium: Set of Three Original Incunabula Leaves on watermarked laid paper Limited edition: Unknown Printer: Erhard Ratdolt, Ausburg, Germany Publisher: Friedrich von Öttingen and Christoph von Schachner, Passau, Germany Reference: Hain No. 3875; Bod-Inc No. B-542; GW No. 5426; Weale/Bohatta No. 335; Schreiber No. 3615 Sheet size (each): approx. 12.5" x 8.88" Condition: "Vol. 6, page 10-11", "Vol. 6, page 6-7", and "Vol. 6, 28-29" all have scattered wormholes, staining, foxing, and soiling about their sheets. The latter two have remnants of tape at their edges. "Vol. 6, 28-29" has heavier staining to its sheet and edge wear about. Have been professionally stored away for decades. They are all otherwise strong impressions in overall fair condition with strong colors Extremely rare Notes: Comes from Ratdolt's six volume "Breviarium Pataviense", (1490) (First edition), which consists of 378 pages of Gothic texts in Latin with red rubricated initials, psalms, readings, hymns, and woodcut engraved illustrations. Printed in Augsburg by Erhard Ratdolt on May 12, 1490. There was a subsequent printing on November 27, 1490. Both "Vol. 6, page 10-11" and "Vol. 6, 28-29" have a bow and arrow watermark in the center of their sheets. Some information and old prices inscribed in pencil to their sheets. Breviary is a liturgical book in the Roman Catholic Church that contains the daily service for the divine office, the official prayer of the church consisting of psalms, readings, and hymns that are recited at stated hours of the day. Biography: Erhard Ratdolt (1442–1528) was an early German printer from Augsburg. He was active as a printer in Venice from 1476 to 1486, and afterwards in Augsburg. From 1475 to 1478 he was in partnership with two other German printers. The first book the partnership produced was the Calendarium (1476), written and previously published by Regiomontanus, which offered one of the earliest examples of a modern title page. Other noteworthy publications are the "Historia Romana of Appianus" (1477), and the first edition of "Euclid's Elements" (1482), where he solved the problem of printing geometric diagrams, the "Poeticon astronomicon", also from 1482, "Haly Abenragel" (1485), and "Alchabitius" (1503). Ratdolt is also famous for having produced the first known printer's type specimen...
Laid Paper, Woodcut
Sold
H 11.82 in W 11.82 in D 11.03 in
Italian Ceramic 'Testa di Moro' Vase or Jardiniere by Piero Fornasetti, Milan
By Fornasetti
Located in Bournemouth, Dorset
VASE/JARDINIERE - Italian Ceramic 'Testa di Moro' Vase by Piero Fornasetti, Milan, circa 1960, with black glaze, worn red velvet on base, marked 'Fornasetti, Milan, Made in Italy. G...
Ceramic
THE CAT - Fornasetti glazed tile Milan , Italy 1980s
By Fornasetti
Located in Napoli, IT
Underglaze glazed ceramic tile in white, black and red depicting a cat.. years 1980/90 - Fornasetti Milan
Ceramic, Glaze
Sold
H 8 in Dm 10.5 in
Piero Fornasetti, set of six porcelain plates from the Tema E Variazioni series
By Fornasetti
Located in San Rafael, CA
A wonderful set of six Piero Fornasetti porcelain plates from the Tema E Variazioni series. Marked Fornasetti-Milano, Made in Italy on the reverse. Fornasetti frequently utilized thi...
Porcelain
Eyes
By Fornasetti
Located in Missouri, MO
PIERO FORNASETTI (1913-1988) DINNER PLATE, 1950s lithographically-decorated porcelain 12" Diameter Marked FORNASETTI MILANO MADE IN ITALY, and nunbered 168
Ceramic
Fornasetti Milano Posateria 5 Gold Coasters Pin Dishes
By Fornasetti
Located in Austin, TX
Artist: Fornasetti Item: 5 Posateria pin dishes/coasters. Circa - 1950's , Made for Roos Bros. , San Francisco Manufacture - Fornasetti , Milano , Italy With printed retailer’s labe...
Porcelain
Fornasetti Tema e Variazioni Plate
By Fornasetti
Located in Greenwich, CT
Fornasetti Tema e Variazioni Plate iconic design stamped and hand-numbered #139 on base
Ceramic