FORNASETTI
an Italian decorative arts company, a whimsical place where craftsmanship meets design, producing timeless handmade creations that inspire imagination and bring beauty to the world
Dream it & Have it
When it comes to your table…
Adorn your home with plates, candles, tableware & decorative accessories from the magical world of Fornasetti. One of the most renowned names in design, Fornasetti’s innovative and creative designs are instantly recognizable and will bring a sense of humor and whimsy to any interior.
details matter
final touches that establish your signature style
A FEW WORDS ABOUT FORNASETTI
Piero Fornasetti was an illustrious sculptor, interior designer, graphic artist and painter, immortalizing muse Lina Cavalieri in his work. Continuing the tradition, his son Barnaba and perfumer Olivier Polge have created evocative home fragrances, beautifully housed in handcrafted ceramic vessels.
Fornasetti lived and worked in Milan all his life and was one of the most prolific decorative artists of the 20th century. He was a painter, sculptor, decorator and engraver. His style was one based on illusion, architectural perspectives, and a number of themes such as the sun, playing cards, fish and flowers, from which he made seemingly endless variations.
Born in Milan in 1913, Fornasetti grew up under the influence of functionalist restraint but, by looking at his work, it's obvious it didn't restrain him.
His fruitful imagination created a dream-like magical world, and he applied his decorative vocabulary to an astonishing array of objects - ashtrays, chairs, plates, cabinets and dining tables were all transformed by the application of unexpected images. Fornasetti rebelled against the concept of numbering, dating and signing his work. He was so sure that his style was unmistakable that he was indifferent to these significant marks that collectors use as proof of date and identity.
The strongly graphic, intriguingly surreal range of Theme and Variations plates designed by Italian painter, printer, engraver and interior designer Piero are a must-have item. Fornasetti's work, fusing Surrealism and Neo-Classicism, is enjoying a major revival, and his black, white and gold plates depicting portraits of the enigmatic, saucer-eyed, alabaster-skinned 19th century beauty Lina Cavalieri, are a captivating example of his work. Perfect as a gift for connoisseurs of design or dinner party hosts who enjoy making a splash.
This Plate is sexy than stogy. One room is wallpapered with a wild, black and white floral print, while another acts as a gallery for dozens of dinner plates designed by the artist Pietro Fornasetti. The plates act as another metaphor.