Piero Fornasetti (Italian, 1913–1988)
Ice Bucket and Cover, "˜Monete' Pattern
1950s-60s

A cylindrical ice bucket and close-fitting cover in lithographically printed and lacquered metal with brass fittings, decorated with Fornasetti's celebrated "˜Monete' (coins) pattern. The body is printed overall with a warm gold-ochre mottled ground "” evoking patinated bronze or antiqued stone "” against which a scattered arrangement of ancient coin images is applied in black and gold.

The coins vary in size and are depicted as if seen in raking light, with their relief surfaces clearly readable: the majority show profiles of ancient rulers or deities in Hellenistic or Roman Republican convention, including wreathed and helmeted heads facing both left and right. Several coins display figural reverses: among the identifiable types are a pair of standing figures flanking a central device with a Greek inscription, a quadriga or mythological group, and a rearing animal or heraldic creature. The design draws directly on published numismatic engraving traditions and closely follows the imagery Fornasetti employed across the wider "˜Monete' series, which encompassed trays, plates, waste baskets, and other household objects.

The flat circular cover, which seats within a polished brass collar rim, has a plain gold surface with a small spherical brass finial at its centre. The interior of the bucket is lined in polished gold-tone metal. The base carries the printed Fornasetti workshop label: a sunburst device enclosing a hand holding a paintbrush, with the text "˜FORNASETTI MILANO / MADE IN ITALY'.

Dimensions
"• Height (with cover): 9½ in. (24.1 cm)
"• Diameter: 6½ in. (16.5 cm)

Medium and Date
Lithographically printed and lacquered metal with brass fittings. Milan, circa 1960s.

Marks
Printed workshop label to base: "˜FORNASETTI MILANO / MADE IN ITALY' within sunburst device with hand-and-brush emblem.

Historical Context
Piero Fornasetti (Milan, 1913–1988) was one of the most inventive and prolific decorative artists of the twentieth century, producing over 161,000 objects across his career in ceramics, lacquered metal, furniture, textiles, and printed paper. Working from his studio and workshop in Milan, he developed an instantly recognisable visual language rooted in Neoclassical imagery, trompe l'Å“il, and Surrealist juxtaposition, applying it to a vast range of domestic and decorative objects through lithographic transfer printing and hand-finishing techniques he largely developed and refined himself.

The "˜Monete' series "” named for the Italian word for coins "” was among the most sustained and widely applied of Fornasetti's numismatic themes, appearing from the 1950s onwards across multiple object types including trays, waste baskets, and bar accessories. The source imagery derives from engraved illustrations of Greek and Hellenistic coins of the type found in the great nineteenth-century numismatic catalogues, particularly those produced for European collections rich in Magna Graecia and Sicilian coinage "” an area of extraordinary artistic achievement in ancient die-engraving. Fornasetti's particular interest in classical antiquity was consistent with his broader Milanese cultural formation: the city's collections, including the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana with its important numismatic holdings, provided an immediate local reference for the imagery.

Metal objects such as this ice bucket represent some of the most technically accomplished products of the Fornasetti workshop. The lithographically printed surface, applied to a formed metal cylinder and finished with a lacquer ground that simulates antiqued patina, demonstrates Fornasetti's mastery of industrial printing processes adapted to decorative ends. Such bar and entertaining accessories were produced for the luxury market and are among the more sought-after categories of Fornasetti metalwork.

(Ref: NY11167-arrx)


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

Origin:
Italy

Creator:
Brand: Piero Fornasetti; Artist: Piero Fornasetti; Designer: Piero Fornasetti

Materials & Techniques:
Metal

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Original Condition Unaltered; Some Imperfections; Good condition