Mid-Century Modern Piero Fornasetti Rosenthal Themes & Variations Plate, Motiv 22, 1980s

Details

Description

Surrealist Icon: Piero Fornasetti for Rosenthal "Themes & Variations" Plate,
Motiv 22,
Circa 1980s

A striking and highly collectible porcelain … Read more Surrealist Icon: Piero Fornasetti for Rosenthal "Themes & Variations" Plate,
Motiv 22,
Circa 1980s

A striking and highly collectible porcelain plate from the celebrated "Themes & Variations" (Tema e Variazioni) series, designed by Piero Fornasetti and produced in collaboration with the renowned German porcelain house Rosenthal in the 1980s.

This specific design, Motiv 22, is one of the most surreal and psychologically charged images in the series. It features the enigmatic face of Lina Cavalieri—Fornasetti's eternal muse—peering out from behind the heavy, textured iron bars of a prison cell or dungeon window. The graphic black-and-white transfer print is executed with exceptional precision on Rosenthal's high-quality porcelain blank, framed by a refined gilt rim.

Markings:

Reverse: Bears the official black printed mark: Rosenthal / Germany / [Hand with Brush Logo] / FORNASETTI / Dekor: Temi e variazioni / Motiv 22.

Original Box: Accompanied by its original Rosenthal box (a significant value-add for collectors).

Condition: Excellent vintage condition. The transfer print is crisp and unblemished. No chips, cracks, or wear to the gold rim. Preserved with its original box.

Measurements:
Diameter: 9 1/4 inches (23.5 cm)
Height: 1 1/4 inches (3.2 cm)

Historical Context:

In the 1980s, Rosenthal licensed a select group of Fornasetti's most iconic designs to produce a luxury line of art plates. These editions are prized for their superior porcelain quality and precise printing. The image of Lina Cavalieri—an operatic soprano whose face Fornasetti found in a 19th-century magazine—became the canvas for over 500 variations. As Fornasetti famously said, "What inspired me to create more than 500 variations on the face of a woman? I don't know. I began to make them and I never stopped."

Literature:

Patrick Mauriès, Fornasetti: Designer of Dreams: Discusses the "Themes and Variations" series as a meditation on the mystery of femininity, transforming a single face into a moon, a flower, or, in this case, a captive.

(Ref: NY9645-inp) See less