A vintage Fornasetti Themes and Variations (Tema E Variazioni) Lina Cavalieri plate design no 150

This vintage handpainted plate is no 150 in Piero Fornasetti's Tema E Variazioni (Themes and Variations) range. The enigmatic Mona Lisa-like face is that of a famous soprano named Lina Cavalieri who sang in New York's Metropolitan Opera in the early 20th century. Fornasetti came across her picture while glancing through a magazine, and used it as the basis initially for six design variations on the theme of classical beauty which eventually grew to number more than 350.

The plate has a diameter of 26cm (10.25 inches) and is in good condition with no chips or cracks. There is some blotching (possibly water marks) in the surface glaze (see picture below) and two half-centimetre surface scratches. The plate is marked on the reverse side, “Tema E Variazioni 150 Fornasetti – Milano. Made in Italy”.

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