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Piero Fornasetti Games

Italian, 1913-1988

The Italian artist and designer Piero Fornasetti was one of the wittiest and most imaginative 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 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.

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 Fornasetti's 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 the artist's collaborator and patron. Beginning in the early 1950s, they created a striking 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.

Find vintage Piero Fornasetti dinner plates, chairs, tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Piero Fornasetti
1980s Gorgeous Piero Fornasetti Backgammon in Excellent condition. Made in Italy
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in Milano, IT
1980s Gorgeous Piero Fornasetti backgammon for Dal Negro in walnut wood , the set is in excellent condition and includes four dices, the doubling cube, two dice shaker, all 30 checke...
Category

1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Piero Fornasetti Games

Materials

Wood, Walnut

FORNASETTI Butterfly Poker Card Game Set Box
By Piero Fornasetti, Fornasetti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage butterfly poker card game set box, screen print on wood, with two decks of playing cards, eight dices and chips / Designed by PIero Fornasetti, made in Milan Italy by Fornase...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Piero Fornasetti Games

Materials

Wood

1970s Gorgeous Piero Fornasetti Chess Board - Game Set Box. Made in Italy
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in Milano, IT
1970s Gorgeous Piero Fornasetti Chess board - Game set Box for Dal Negro in walnut wood , the set is in excellent condition and includes chess game, c...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Piero Fornasetti Games

Materials

Wood, Walnut

1980s Original Gorgeous Playing Cards Box by Piero Fornasetti
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in Milano, IT
1980s Original gorgeous playing cards box by Piero Fornasetti in walnut wood . It's in excellent condition and includes two packs of Dal Negro cards. The box is signed on the botto...
Category

1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Piero Fornasetti Games

Materials

Wood, Walnut

1970s Original Gorgeous Playing Cards Box by Piero Fornasetti
By Piero Fornasetti
Located in Milano, IT
1970s Original astonishing playing cards box by Piero Fornasetti in walnut wood . It's in excellent condition and includes two packs of vintage Dal Negro cards, 7 dices, and chips. T...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Piero Fornasetti Games

Materials

Wood, Walnut

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Piero Fornasetti games for sale on 1stDibs.

Piero Fornasetti games are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. Many of the original games by Piero Fornasetti were created in the mid-century modern style in italy during the late 20th century. Prices for Piero Fornasetti games can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $1,080 and can go as high as $6,200, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $3,640.
Questions About Piero Fornasetti Games
  • 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 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
    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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