Set of Three Primitive French Wooden Stools, Early to Mid-20th Century

This set of three rustic wooden stools dates from the mid-20th century and has the direct, handmade character of vernacular country furniture. Two are closely related, with thick, irregularly shaped seats raised on three slightly splayed legs, while the third is darker and more primitive in construction, with a roughly circular seat and legs that retain the natural, branch-like quality of small logs. Their form recalls traditional milking stools, although the proportions are somewhat taller than those typically used for milking. All three show extensive surface wear, scratches, old splits and variations in tone, giving the wood a strongly weathered, tactile appearance. They remain stable and functionnal.  

Used together, the slight differences in shape and color give the group an appealing folk-art quality, somewhere between functional furniture and small sculpture. Their raw construction and heavy, elemental silhouettes also have an almost Brutalist quality, particularly when set against more refined furniture or architecture. They would make lovely plant stands or unusual low nightstands or end tables, the irregular forms and weathered raw wood bringing warmth, texture and a grounded, organic note to an interior.