Technique and imagination are two precepts that the eldest son learned from his artist father, who passed away in 1998. Since then, he has taken over the company and continues to bring to life Piero Fornasetti's more than 11,000 creations.
Coromandel is the new collection of furniture and accessories presented by Fornasetti earlier this month, a tribute to the brand's founder and his passion for nature. The pieces, made using the same artisanal techniques used by Piero Fornasetti, reveal the quality and care in the use of colors and hand painting on silver leaves.
Cabinet Rialzato (Divulgação)
Piero Fornasetti's interest in exoticism and natural forms, flowers, leaves and small animals, is often seen in his works. The word "coromandel", which gives its name to his collection, is a tribute to the coastal strip of Tamil Nadu, in the southeast of India, on the coast of the Indian Ocean. "And it is exactly on the Coromandel Coast that screens and other decorative objects from China were loaded onto ships that set sail for Europe," explains the businessman and son of the designer, Barnaba Fornasetti. "From the 18th century onwards, we see the birth of Chinoiserie, the European interpretation of the Chinese style. And it is precisely in this period that the interest in exoticism arises with the use of so-called extravagant pseudo-Chinese designs."
Inspiration from nature is also a frequent protagonist in Fornasetti's works. Fish, shells, flowers, birds and butterflies have gained space in his artistic repertoire with surrealist and impactful images. "My father created his trademark, based on observation and hypnotic reconfiguration. He combined several styles such as Victorian illustrations and works by Giuseppe Arcimboldo, an Italian painter who used images of nature, such as fruits, vegetables and flowers, to compose human faces like no other", says businessman Barnaba Fornasetti. The pieces are now on sale at the brand's showroom in Milan - Corso Venezia 21/a or via email (store.milano@fornasetti.com).
