The Illogical Menu: Fornasetti's Gorgonzola Muse

Object: Decorative Plate / Surreal Art Object
Maker: Atelier Fornasetti (Milan, Italy)
Series: Tema e Variazioni (Theme and Variations), Motif 319
Date: 20th Century
Medium: Porcelain, Transfer Print, Hand-finished


Dimensions: 10 inches diameter x 1 inch high (25.4 cm x 2.54 cm).

Analysis of the Surrealist Motif

This striking porcelain plate is Motif 319 from Piero Fornasetti's most celebrated series, Tema e Variazioni. The design delivers a classic piece of Surrealist humor by juxtaposing the highbrow and the lowbrow. It features the instantly recognizable face of the 19th-century opera singer, Lina Cavalieri, superimposed onto a triangular slice of Gorgonzola cheese that is topped by a hat and appears to be sitting beneath a cheese stamp or stopper.

This unique combination exemplifies Fornasetti's design philosophy: taking the archetypal classical features of his muse"”which he saw as a canvas of perfect formal beauty"”and subjecting them to endless, witty, and often bizarre transformations. The use of Gorgonzola, an iconic Italian delicacy, transforms the muse from a purely aesthetic figure into an element of absurdist, domestic comedy.

Historical Context: The Enduring Variation

The Tema e Variazioni series began after Fornasetti found Cavalieri's image in a vintage French magazine in 1952. He saw her face as a timeless template, ultimately creating over 350 variations across plates and objects, making it one of the longest-running and most influential design concepts of the 20th century.

This specific motif, like others in the series, showcases the power of repetition and minor alteration to explore themes of disguise, perception, and the nature of beauty. By presenting the same face across hundreds of scenarios"”from the majestic to the utterly mundane (like a slice of cheese)"”Fornasetti invited the viewer to continuously re-examine the familiar, ensuring that even a simple decorative object sparks intellectual engagement and laughter.

References

Fornasetti: Official Atelier website (for context on Lina Cavalieri as the muse and the Tema e Variazioni series).

Barnaba Fornasetti (ed.): Fornasetti: The Complete Universe (For comprehensive cataloging and historical context).

(Ref: NY9849-04-cpk)


Condition:
Alterations: Original Condition Unaltered
Imperfections: Some Imperfections
Condition Notes: Good

Dimensions:
Height: 10 in.
Width: 10 in.
Depth: 1 in.

Category: Decorative Plates
Origin: Italy
Materials: Porcelain
Creator: Brand: Atelier Fornasetti; Artist: Piero Fornasetti; Designer: Piero Fornasetti

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Original Condition Unaltered; Some Imperfections; Good