A Sea of Imagination: Piero Fornasetti’s Iconic Pesci Plates

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A Sea of Imagination: Fornasetti’s Iconic Pesci Plates

Piero Fornasetti (Italian, 1913–1988)
A Set of Six Porcelain Plates, “Pesci” Pattern
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Piero Fornasetti (Italian, 1913–1988)
A Set of Six Porcelain Plates, “Pesci” Pattern
Milan, Late 1950s
Porcelain, transfer-printed decoration
Dimensions: 9 in. diameter × 1 in. high

A stunning and complete set of six porcelain plates from Piero Fornasetti’s celebrated Pesci (Fish) series, designed in Milan during the late 1950s. Each plate presents a unique underwater tableau—a lively school of fish rendered in exquisite detail and vivid coloration, gliding across a luminous white ground. Fornasetti’s characteristic blend of classical precision, humor, and surreal fantasy transforms these everyday tablewares into refined works of art.

Both decorative and sculptural, these Pesci plates embody Fornasetti’s genius for transforming domestic objects into vessels of imagination. Whether displayed as wall art or used as a striking table setting, they capture the poetic interplay between art and design that defines his enduring legacy.

Fornasetti drew inspiration from 18th- and 19th-century natural history engravings, reinterpreting them through his own imaginative lens. The fish—depicted in shimmering tones of gold, green, blue, and rose—seem to swim in rhythm across the porcelain surface, their movements captured with a delicate sense of motion and grace. The plates display his mastery of transfer-print technique, which he adapted to achieve remarkable sharpness and color intensity, often enhanced with hand-applied touches.

The Pesci design reflects the postwar Italian fascination with the natural world, as well as the optimism and modernity that characterized mid-century Milanese design. Fornasetti’s collaboration with architect Gio Ponti during this era helped define the visual identity of Italian modernism—an aesthetic that balanced wit, beauty, and functionality.
Sets such as this were produced in limited numbers by Fornasetti’s own atelier, each variation reflecting subtle differences in composition and hue. Later editions by Rosenthal in the 1960s further popularized the design, but the original 1950s productions—such as the present set—remain the most sought-after among collectors.

Condition:
Excellent vintage condition with bright, unfaded coloration and minimal signs of use.

Literature:
• Barnaba Fornasetti, Fornasetti: The Complete Universe, Rizzoli, 2010, pp. 148–153.
• Patrick Mauriès, Piero Fornasetti: Designer of Dreams, Thames & Hudson, 2015.
• Gio Ponti and Piero Fornasetti, Arredamento Moderno, Milan, 1950s (period references to the Pesci motif).

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