A striking large occasional table or side table by the celebrated Italian designer Piero Fornasetti. With its blend of artistry and functionality this table was crafted in Italy. The table's surface features a vibrant flower motif, with each blossom rendered in rich, vivid colours that stand out dramatically against the sleek black background. Made from lacquered wood with a lithographic transfer print and supported by a central enamelled metal pedestal leg, this piece showcases Fornasetti's meticulous attention to detail and flair for surreal, whimsical designs.

Perfect for adding a touch of elegance and artistic flair, this side table is not only a functional piece of furniture but also a statement of style, reflecting Fornasetti's unique ability to blend art with everyday objects. Ideal for eclectic interiors, it brings a touch of mid-century Italian design and sophistication, making it a treasured addition to any home.

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.

Condition: overall good vintage condition, some signs of wear and tear consumate with age. Please refer to photographs

Dimensions: 41cm high, 60cm wide diameter