Piero Fornasetti (Milan, November 10, 1913 – Milan, October 1988) was an Italian painter, sculptor, interior decorator, engraver, printer maker, designer and creator of over eleven thousand objects, set designers and costumes, Exhibitions and initiatives at an international Italian level.

The fundamental lesson that comes from his work is rigor, accompanied by intense fantasy, an elegant veiled humor.

Today it is most common to see Fornasetti’s style in fashion and room accessories such as scarves, ties, lamps, furniture, china plates and tables.

Fornasetti was born from a wealthy family of the Milanese bourgeoisie. In 1930 he entered the Brera Academy of Fine Arts but was expelled two years later for insubordination. He then enrolled at the High School of Applied Arts at the Sforzesco Castle Industry, also in Milan. It has created one of the largest productions of objects and furniture of the 20th century, not so much for the printing of individual objects but for the diversity of decorations.

He lived most of life in Milan, attending the Brera Art Academy from 1930-32 when he was expelled for insubordination.

Although his works were often produced in individual pieces, Fornasetti was very important for the Italian culture of industrial design.
The inspirational musees of his art (initiated as a painter) were Piero della Francesca, Giotto, Pompeian paintings, Renaissance frescoes and metaphysical painting, from which he never ceased to draw inspiration thus making virtuosity his artistic distinction.

Since 1933 Piero began his presence at the Triennali di Milano, he participated for the first time in that year with a series of printed silk scarves. In 1940 (on the occasion of the VII Triennale) he met Gio Ponti, a long collaboration period was born and began to publish his works in the magazine of design and architecture Domus and Stile. From 1940 to ’42 he designed the moons on commission of Gio Ponti himself.

During World War II, he went into exile in Switzerland from 1943-46. He created more than 11,000 items, many featuring the face of a woman, operatic soprano Lina Cavalieri, as a motif. Fornasetti found her face in a 19th-century magazine. “What inspired me to create more than 500 variations on the face of a woman?” asks Italian designer, Piero Fornasetti of himself. “I don’t know,” he admits, “I began to make them and I never stopped.” The “Tema e Variazioni” plate series based on Cavalieri’s face numbered more than 350.

From 1943 to 1946 he retired to Switzerland where he produced posters and lithographs for theater and magazine events.

In 1970 he directed, together with a group of friends, the Bibliofili Gallery, where he exhibited both his production and that of contemporary artists.

After the death of Gio Ponti (1979), Piero opened the “Theme and Variations” store in London in 1980, which revives the interest for his work abroad, where he was already widely known.

Other common features in his work include heavy use of black and white, the sun and time. His style is reminiscent of Greek and Roman architecture, by which he was heavily influenced.

His son, Barnaba Fornasetti, continues to design in his father’s name.

After the death of Piero, in October 1988, his son Barnaba Fornasetti continued to be part of his father’s business.

In 1942 he painted in Padua the Palazzo del Bo, in 1947 he exhibited at the VIII Triennale of Milan a series of decorative ceramic motifs, also commissioned by Gio Ponti. In 1950 he also decorated the interiors of Sanremo’s casino and the pastry shop “Dulciora” in Milan. Also in 1950, among the many other achievements in the field of industrial design, he gave life to Sun, a lacquered wooden chair decorated with a design depicting a full sun on the seat and half on the backrest; The chair, with a very geometric and stylized shape, is available in one color only: yellow in strong contrast with black legs. The collaboration with Gio Ponti continues and in 1951 he realized for Casa Lucano the first example of complete interior decoration. In 1952 he decorated the interiors of the transatlantic “Andrea Doria”, and also dealt with those of another transatlantic: the Great Count. From 1955 to 1958 he dedicated himself to the creation of the “Metaphysical Room” and in 1987, in collaboration with Patrick Mauries, made a book about all the works in his possession containing the entire artistic life of the Italian artist.