Posted 5 years ago
Piero Fornasetti (1913 - 1988) is one of the great names in Italian design.
I bought these drink coasters from a market about five years ago. Unfortunately I have only got two. I think there is a set of eight coasters. These are José and Rodolfo. The series is called Melodramma and there are plates as well in another combination of the figures from "Classical Opera". This group were made in Italy.
The figures represent different characters from Operas.
-Mimi from Puccini's Bohème
-Rodolfo from Puccini's Bohème
-Otello from Verdi's Otello
-Desdemona from Verdi's Otello
-Butterfly from Puccini's Madame Butterfly
-Pinkerton from Puccini's Madame Butterfly
-Carmen from Bizet's Carmen
-José from Bizet's Carmen
(José is probably a very troubled me.)
Do yourself a favour and have a look around the Fornasetti site: http://www.fornasetti.com/
Check out the images of the home and the atelier!