I Am Curious

Here's a little side project I am thinking about. I have this wonderful vintage Baker credenza. It's done up in this crazy 1970's style interpretation of "grand Italian".

Visual Vamp DIY project - should I decoupage these Fornasetti images on the credenza?

I have over painted the original avocado green and yellow paint, and did a decoupage of suns with faces on the doors to give it a faint feeling of the Fornasetti print on top of the credenza.

The original Fornasetti style suns on the front of the credenza

Fornasetti plates that inspire me

I'm curious to know what you think of me getting rid of the suns, and actually applying the paper "plates" of actual Fornasetti images I made on the copy machine to affix to the front of the credenza. My other inspiration comes from cabinets of curiosities.


I'd like to share some terrific images of cabinets and curiosities:

Illustration from the book, Wondertooneel der Nature
A Cabinet of Curiosities or Wunderkammern in Holland
Date 1706-1715

French Secretaire a Abattant - Circa 1775
Decorated with marquetry scenes after the engravings of Andre-Jacob Roubo

Cabinet of Curiosities - 1690s - Oil on canvas Opificio delle Pietre Dure, Florence

Cabinet with painted decoration by Fabrizio Clerici - Milan circa 1950s

Painted Serpentine Fronted Credenza
Italian - Possibly 18th Century

Cabinet of Curiosities of Bonnier de la Mosson
Housed at the Bibliotèque centrale du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris

Modern day artist Piero Fornasetti had his own version of a cabinet of curiosities.

Fornasetti version of a cabinet of curiosities.

I used to have a nasty little Fornasetti habit. I couldn't afford to collect big things, so I had about 100 coasters, a couple of dozen little boxes and trays and paperweights and smalls. I've sold them all because frankly I had no need for them, or room to display them. But I still love the images, especially the Theme and Variations plates - those are the images I want to put on my credenza.


The most recurrent Fornasetti themes are the sun, playing cards, harlequins, hands, and self-portraits. The most famous is the one that Fornasetti himself called "Theme and Variations" representing the enigmatic face of a woman. He found it glancing through a French magazine from the 19th century. Her name was Lina Cavalieri. Perhaps he chose this face for its archetypal, classic female features. Like a Greek statue and enigmatic like the Mona Lisa, she was perfect to be the muse of Fornasetti.

At the beginning there were only six white plates decorated with black and white designs representing a female face. Then this series increased during the years until it reached 350 different variations on the theme of classical beauty.

So, should I get out the Modge Podge?

The terrific images of the cabinets and curiosities came from HERE

I suggest you take some time to go to the link as there are many more rare and wonderful images to look at.

Also if you have time go to 1st Dibs to check out some of the great Fornasetti things their dealers have. eBay also has a treasure trove awaiting.

The Fornasetti photos come from Google Images.

Posted in: Curiosities, DIY, Fornasetti, Valorie Hart Designs