Piero Fornasetti, Wall or Ceiling Lamp, Italy, circa 1970
View Similar Items
Piero Fornasetti, Wall or Ceiling Lamp, Italy, circa 1970
About the Item
- Creator:Fornasetti (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 5.91 in (15 cm)Diameter: 19.69 in (50 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1970
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Nice, FR
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU935721991102
Fornasetti
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.
- Gaetano Pesce Wall Sconce, Edited by "the Pesce, " circa 2000, ItalyBy Gaetano PesceLocated in Nice, Cote d' AzurGaetano Pesce, wall sconce, Meritalia production, edited by "The Pesce," polyurethane resin, circa 2000, Italy, piece unique. Measures: Height 80 cm, diameter 80 cm, depth 11 cm....Category
Early 2000s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsResin
- Piero Fornasetti, wall mirror, wooden support covered with screen prints.By Piero FornasettiLocated in Nice, Cote d' AzurPiero Forna, wall mirror, wooden support covered with screen prints with neo-classical decoration of flowers and mythological scenes, circa 1960, Italy. Height 85 cm, width 64 cm, de...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Modern Wall Mirrors
MaterialsWood
- Felix Agostini (1910-1980), pair of sconces, bronze, circa 1970, France.By Felix AgostiniLocated in Nice, Cote d' AzurFelix Agostini (1910-1980), pair of sconces, bronze, circa 1970, France. Height 192 cm, diameter 74 cm.Category
Vintage 1970s French Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsBronze
- Philippe Anthonioz (1953), patinated bronze sconce, circa 1988, France.By Philippe AnthoniozLocated in Nice, Cote d' AzurPhilippe Anthonioz (1953), patinated bronze sconce, circa 1988, France. Height 29 cm, width 50 cm, depth 27 cm.Category
Vintage 1980s French Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsBronze
- Pair of Sconces "Commedia dell'arte", France, circa 1960Located in Nice, Cote d' AzurPair of sconces "Commedia dell'arte", Gilt iron, decorated with a theatrical mask, lyre and foliage France, circa 1960. Measures: Height 49.5 cm, width 41 cm, depth 12 cm.Category
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsIron
- Fausto Melotti, Scultura A 'I Pendoli', Italy, circa 1970By Fausto MelottiLocated in Nice, Cote d' AzurFausto Melotti, Scultura A (I Pendoli), Steel sculpture, Signed on the base, numbered 420/500, Italy, circa 1970. Measures: height 40 cm, width 16 cm, depth 10 cm.Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sculptures and Carvings
MaterialsSteel
- Glass ceiling or wall lamp italy around 1970sLocated in Wien, ATGlass ceiling or wall lamp italy around 1970s The 4th and 5th photo shows the lamp as a wall lamp Original conditionCategory
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount
MaterialsMetal
- Italian Wall or Ceiling LampLocated in München, DEExceptional Italian ceiling lamp from the 1950s. Very decorative and of high quality. Wonderful design and an asset to any home. Condition: very good vintage condition with s...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount
MaterialsBrass
- Ceiling or Wall Light by Stilnovo, Italy, circa 1970sBy StilnovoLocated in Wiesbaden, HessenMid-Century Modern flush mount or wall light by Stilnovo, Italy, circa 1970s. Made of enameled metal frame. Socket : one x E27.Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount
MaterialsMetal
- Moretti Murano Glass Wall or Ceiling Lamp, Italy 1970sBy MorettiLocated in Naples, ITHandcrafted glass ceiling light for installation and wall or ceiling. The diffuser consists of a single polished piece with a rounded shape. The shape of the satin-blown glass diffuser makes it perfect for ambient lighting...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsMurano Glass
- Italian Brass Wall or Ceiling LampBy Temde Leuchten, Stilnovo, Gino Sarfatti, Arteluce, Florian SchulzLocated in München, DEExceptionally beautiful Italian wall or ceiling lamp from the 1950s. Very decorative and of high quality. Wonderful design and an asset to any home. Condition: Very good vintage co...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Flush Mount
MaterialsMetal
- 1970s Ufo Wall or Ceiling LampBy Sölken Leuchten, Staff Leuchten, Doria Leuchten Germany, Kaiser LeuchtenLocated in München, DEVery nice wall or ceiling lamp from the 1970s. Nice reduced design. Very high quality processing. Condition: Very good vintage condition with slight signs of wear consistent with a...Category
Vintage 1970s German Space Age Wall Lights and Sconces
MaterialsMetal