A striking Fornasetti armchair featuring the iconic Tema e Variazioni motif, circa 1990, combining classical furniture forms with the surrealist imagery for which the Fornasetti atelier is internationally renowned. The ebonized frame is designed in a refined neoclassical manner, with an oval upholstered back, fluted arms and legs, and restrained carved detailing. The seat is upholstered in rich black fabric, while the dramatic back features the unmistakable face of Lina Cavalieri, partially obscured by a composition of overlapping hands.
Cavalieri’s enigmatic face became the defining image of Fornasetti’s celebrated Tema e Variazioni “Theme and Variations” series, reimagined in hundreds of witty and surreal compositions. Here, the graphic black-and-white imagery creates a dramatic contrast against the traditional neoclassical form of the chair.
Dimensions:
Width 23″
Depth 21″
Height 37″
Seat height 18″
