MILAN — Of all the images, motifs and characters that constituted the fantastical world of midcentury artist Piero Fornasetti, the cat was perhaps the most mysterious in his eyes.
His design firm said he often pondered if cats were truly “ancient philosophers, cloaked in soft fur,” or guardians of arcane wisdom.
Friday, the company opened an exhibit situated in the top floor of its Fornasetti Store in Milan on Corso Venezia 21/A. Named “L’Heure du Chat” (French for cat time), the showcase imbued design and art and was developed in collaboration with gallerist Tommaso Calabro.
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Devoted to the figure of the cat, the exhibit showcases pieces from Piero Fornasetti’s contemporaries such as Argentinian artist Leonor Fini and Italian surrealist Stanislao Lepri. Among the works on display are Lepri’s drawing “L’ami des chats” (French for the friends of cats) from 1973, which depicts the animal as a mystical guide, companion and guardian. Fini’s “Psiché” transformed the feline into a totemic figure within the context of a feminine universe.
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In tandem, Fornasetti unveiled a festive collection named High Fidelity dedicated to cats, much of which was inspired by Smoky, Barnaba Fornasetti’s chartreux cat, as well as Fay, a Siberian, who in a modern world, naps on a computer keyboard.
The array includes home accessories such as coffee and tea sets, mugs, scented candles, glasses, decorative holders, and a table clock.
L’Heure du Chat will be on display in Milan until Dec. 31.