The artwork entitled “Theme & Variations Decorative Plate #47 (Face in Key)” is a distinctive piece created by the artist Fornasetti, who is often associated with Surrealism, a 20th-century avant-garde movement that sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind. This particular piece belongs to the genre of portrait, although it is executed in a manner that transcends traditional portraiture. This decorative plate is one of the variations that Fornasetti famously crafted, showcasing both his unique style and his inclination toward surrealistic expressions within everyday objects.
The artwork in question features a starkly contrasting black and white portrait of a woman’s face superimposed upon a golden-yellow background. The face is bisected by a keyhole, which introduces an element of mystery and surrealism, allowing the viewer to ponder the metaphorical significance of what might be ‘locked away,’ either within the mind or behind the face. The facial features are rendered with a meticulous attention to detail, typical of Fornasetti’s precise graphic style, with the eyes and lips appearing lifelike and expressive. This merging of human features with inanimate objects or designs exemplifies the Surrealist influence on Fornasetti’s work, blurring the line between reality and imagination, and imbuing the practical object with an enigmatic and artistic aura.
