A pair of Italian Fornasetti porcelain ashtrays from the Tema e Variazioni series, No. 17 and 24. Each is marked on the bottom. Piero Fornasetti, 1913 to 1988, was an Italian artist and designer. Born in Milan, Fornasettis creative pursuits encompassed design, decoration, painting, curating, and printing. His oeuvre, spanning over 13 000 works, displayed a wide range of objects and furniture with a unique emphasis on decorative diversity. Fornasettis artistic philosophy emphasized the production of series over one-of-a-kind pieces, reflecting his commitment to democratizing art. A central motif in his work was the variations, notably exemplified in the iconic Tema e Variazioni series featuring over 400 renditions of opera singer Lina Cavalieris face. His creative genius extended across different mediums, from furniture to paintings, demonstrating a coherent stylistic code. Modern and Contemporary European Desk Wares, Tobacciana Pieces, Interior Design, and Collectibles.