Piero Fornasetti "Melodramma" Ceramic Coasters: A Series of Dramatic Opera Characters

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Operatic Gold: Set of 8 Piero Fornasetti "Melodramma" Coasters,
1960s

A spectacular complete set of eight Piero Fornasetti ceramic coasters … Read more Operatic Gold: Set of 8 Piero Fornasetti "Melodramma" Coasters,
1960s

A spectacular complete set of eight Piero Fornasetti ceramic coasters from the "Melodramma" (Melodrama) series, dating to the 1960s.

Each coaster features a rich, heavy gold gilt ground, creating a dramatic stage for the finely detailed black transfer-printed portraits of iconic leading roles from the Golden Age of Opera. The characters are depicted in period costume, with a banner below each portrait identifying the role, the opera, the composer, and the composer's dates.

The set comprises the following characters:

Jose (Carmen by Georges Bizet)

Otello (Otello by Giuseppe Verdi)

Pinkerton (Madame Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini)

Rodolfo (La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini)

Carmen (Carmen by Georges Bizet)

Desdemona (Otello by Giuseppe Verdi)

Butterfly (Madame Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini)

Mimi (La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini)

Markings: Underside: Printed with the typical Fornasetti "hand and brush" logo inside a black scroll.

Text: "Fornasetti Milano / Made in Italy."

Numbering: Each coaster bears a number in the series (1 through 8) and a gold gilder's mark.

Measurements:
Diameter: 4 1/8 inches (10.5 cm)
Height: 1/4 inch (0.6 cm)

Condition: Excellent vintage condition. The gold gilding remains bright and the transfer prints are crisp.

Historical Context:

Piero Fornasetti (1913–1988) was a Milanese painter, sculptor, and interior decorator whose whimsical and surrealist style defined 20th-century Italian design. Music and theater were constant sources of inspiration for his work. The "Melodramma" series pays homage to the grand emotionality of 19th-century opera, capturing the romance and tragedy of the stage. The use of heavy gold gilding on these pieces was a hallmark of Fornasetti's luxury wares from the 1950s and 60s, designed to shimmer by candlelight during evening entertaining.

(Ref: NY11031-narx) See less