Since ancient times, convex mirrors—sometimes referred to as witches’ eyes—have been regarded as charms to ward off evil and negative energy. This aptly named Magic table, designed by Barnaba Fornasetti, features an emerald-lacquered surface with four hands framing a raised convex mirror at its center. The mysterious, one-of-a-kind piece was made by hand in the Milanese atelier founded in the 1950s by Barnaba’s father, Piero Fornasetti, whose fantastical designs for furniture and decorative objects—often employing enigmatic images of hands—have become iconic and highly collectible. More than just a conversation piece, this whimsical table has a certain talismanic quality. “Tradition has it that if you position a convex mirror in front of the window,” the designer says, “then any witches, on seeing themselves deformed, will be scared and fly away.” Talk…
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ELLE DECOR (Digital) - 1 Issue, November 2019