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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
Recognized Seller Listings
Fornasetti Silk Cushion Mano Hand
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 plays with the anatomic theme in a surreal an...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Silk

Fornasetti Cushion Silenzio 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 Silk Cushion Peccato Originale Original Sin
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 a snake holding the forbidden fruit in its jaws, and surrounded by hand painted leaves. It is inspired by the biblical original sin...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Silk

Fornasetti Silk Cushion Sardine Fishes on Red
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

Fornasetti Themes & Variation Porcelain Plate, Number 200
By Fornasetti
Located in Downingtown, PA
Fornasetti Themes & Variation Porcelain Plate with Original White Box, Number 200, The Statue, 1990s The Fornasetti porcelain plate is number 200 in the Themes & Variation series. ...
Category

1990s Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Fornasetti Rectangular Tray Coromandel Silver Leaf on Carmine Red
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
Like all Fornasetti accessories, the tray is handcrafted using original artisan techniques. This tray is silk-screened by hand, painted by hand and covered with a smooth lacquer. Me...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Wood

Set 12 Porcelain Plates Adamo Black/White/Gold
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

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 Tray Holder Tray Black Wood
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
Fornasetti trays become elegant coffee tables by adding this black wood base. Is suits a 40 cm diameter metal round tray.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Wood

Decorative Ceramic Cat Bitossi Fiorato, Gold Flowers on Turquoise
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
A coveted collector’s item as early as the 1950s, Fornasetti cats surprise with the sophisticated decorations that colour their surroundings with sheer ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Ceramic

Fornasetti Frame with Convex Mirror Farfalle Butterflies Color on White
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
Like all Fornasetti accessories, the mirrors turn an everyday action into an aesthetic experience. Measures: Ø28 cm. This mirror frame is handcrafted using original artisan techni...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Glass, Wood

Fornasetti Round Tray Città di Carte Hand-Colored on Metal
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
Like all Fornasetti accessories, the tray is handcrafted using original artisan techniques. This tray is silk-screened by hand, painted by hand and covered with a smooth lacquer. Mea...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

Fornasetti Rectangular Tray Braccio Con Pistola on Black Wood
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
Like all Fornasetti accessories, the tray is handcrafted using original artisan techniques. This tray is silk-screened by hand, painted by hand and covered with a smooth lacquer. Mea...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Wood

Piero Fornasetti Mani Con Farfalle Vase
By Fornasetti
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Piero Fornasetti collaborated with Studio Ars Labor,Industrie Riunite (S.A.L.I.R.) on a series of cold -painted enamel vases in 1935. Originally debuted at the VI Triennial of Veni...
Category

1940s Italian Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Fornasetti Bookends Strumenti Musicali Gold on Red Metal
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
There can be wit and unpredictability in the order: this was Fornasetti idea when he designed his first bookends. The mix of images with their functional design make these accessorie...
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

Piero Fornasetti Boxer Umbrella Stand
By Fornasetti
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Piero Fornasetti Boxer Umbrella Stand A whimsical example. Late 1970s/80s example
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

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

Fornasetti Frame with Convex Mirror Farfalle Butterflies Color on Black
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
Like all Fornasetti accessories, the mirrors turn an everyday action into an aesthetic experience. This mirror frame is handcrafted using original artisan techniques. It is silk-...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Glass, Wood

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

Fornasetti Tray-Juggler with Spinning Plates, Atelier Fornasetti
By Fornasetti
Located in Downingtown, PA
Fornasetti Tray Juggler with Spinning Plates, Atelier Fornasetti, Dated 2017, N 16 The black circular tray is printed with a pattern of Themes & Variation numbered 193. It depi...
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

Fornasetti Bookends Gift Tema E Variazioni N. 171 Black/White/Red Metal
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
There can be wit and unpredictability in the order: this was Fornasetti idea when he designed his first bookends. The mix of images with their functional design make these accessorie...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Metal

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

Fornasetti Dome Plate, Cupola Galleria Di Milano Number 7 in Series
By Fornasetti
Located in Downingtown, PA
Fornasetti Dome Plate, Cupola Galleria di Milano Number 7 in Series, Dated 2018 Each plate in the series has a different dome of a named and numbered building on the reverse, seen from the inside and below. Dimensions: 9 1/4 inches x 1 inch high. (23.50cm diameter x 2.54cm) The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is Italy's oldest active shopping gallery and a major landmark of Milan in Italy. Housed within a four-story double arcade in the centre of town, the Galleria is named after Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of the Kingdom of Italy. . These plates were originally designed and executed for building contractor Andrea Brenta, Milan, as Christmas presents...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Fornasetti Porcelain Surrealist Themes & Variation Plate, #260
By Fornasetti
Located in Downingtown, PA
Fornasetti porcelain Surrealist Themes & Variation plate #260, The Snail, Atelier Fornasetti The Fornasetti porcelain plate in the Themes & Variation pattern depicts a surreal depic...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Vintage Fornasetti Porcelain Themes & Variation Plate, #74
By Fornasetti
Located in Downingtown, PA
Vintage Fornasetti Porcelain Themes & Variation Plate #74 The Clock, Atelier Fornasetti The Surreal Fornasetti porcelain plate in the Themes & Variation pattern depicts the face...
Category

1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Fornasetti Silk Cushion Sardine Fishes on Blue
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

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

Fornasetti Themes & Variations Porcelain Plate, Number 9, Maori Tatoos
By Fornasetti
Located in Downingtown, PA
Fornasetti Themes & Variations porcelain plate, Pattern Number 9, Atelier Fornasetti, 1990s The Fornasetti porcelain plate in the Themes & Variation pattern depicts the face o...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

20th Century Piero Fornasetti Umbrella Stand Theme Bottles Wine in Printed Metal
By Piero Fornasetti, Fornasetti
Located in Turin, Turin
Umbrella stand by Piero Fornasetti themed with bottles on a typical italian wine barrel, in silkscreened sheet metal from the 1950s. Good condition...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Sheet Metal, Brass

Fornasetti Themes & Variations Gold Plate, Tema E Variazioni, Pattern Number 96
By Fornasetti
Located in Downingtown, PA
Fornasetti Themes & Variations gold plate, butterfly, Tema E Variazioni, Pattern number 96, Atelier Fornasetti. A variation of Fornasetti's Tema E...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

Fornasetti Themes & Variations Gold Plate, Tema E Variazioni, Pattern Number 34
By Fornasetti
Located in Downingtown, PA
Fornasetti Themes & Variations Gold Plate, Tema E Variazioni, Pattern Number 34, Atelier Fornasetti. A variation of Fornasetti's Tema E Variazion...
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

1960 Piero Fornasetti Porcelain Astronomici Plate, #7 in Series
By Fornasetti
Located in Downingtown, PA
1960 Piero Fornasetti porcelain plate with number 7 in the Astronomici series. Astronomici means "Astronomics". This is a rare pattern in black and ...
Category

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

Materials

Porcelain

Fornasetti Consolle Bocca Colored Handcrafted Wood
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The Fornasetti console is a wooden storage piece of furniture silkscreened and laquered by hand following the Atelier's traditional method. Like ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Wood

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

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 Consolle Facciata Quattrocentesca White/Black/Yellow Handcrafted Wood
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The Fornasetti console is a wooden storage piece of furniture silkscreened and laquered by hand following the Atelier's traditional method. The m...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Wood

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 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

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

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

Fornasetti Consolle Facciata Quattrocentesca Red / Black Handcrafted Wood
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
The Fornasetti console is a wooden storage piece of furniture silkscreened and laquered by hand following the Atelier's traditional method. The m...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Wood

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

Fornasetti Curved Cabinet Coromandel Hand Colored Wood Special Edition
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

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 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

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

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 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

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

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

20th Century Piero Fornasetti Umbrella Stand Theme Balloons in Metal and Brass
By Piero Fornasetti, Fornasetti
Located in Turin, Turin
Umbrella stand by Piero Fornasetti themed Balloons in silkscreened sheet metal and brass from the 1950s. Good condition, patina of time, original in all its parts. Presence of brand “Fornasetti Milano Made in Italy” on the bottom (request additional photo to see markbrand). Published in: Barnaba Fornasetti, “Fornasetti La Bottega...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Sheet Metal, Brass

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

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

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

Piero Fornasetti Porcelain Astrolabe Plate, Number Twelve in Astrolabio Series
By Fornasetti
Located in Downingtown, PA
The Piero Fornasetti porcelain plate depicts an astrolabe, it is number twelve of twelve in series. A ribbon above reads "Ad Habendum Horam Ineqvalem Et Qvatvor Angvlos Celi In Die"....
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Fornasetti Furniture

Materials

Porcelain

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

Piero Fornasetti Porcelain Mesi and Soli Pair of Plates 12 Suns 12 Months, 1955
By Fornasetti
Located in Downingtown, PA
Piero Fornasetti porcelain plates, 12 suns, 12 months, Pair of plates Mid to late 1950s. The rare Piero Fornasetti "12 Mesi 12 Soli" series plates show the sun as a woman's face and each one represents a different month- May and June. They are numbered five and six. Dimensions: 10 1/4 inches diameter x 1 inch high. Mark: Each with Piero Fornasetti printed...
Category

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

Materials

Porcelain

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 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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