Four-legged stool
third quarter 19th century
Medium
Carved and gilded wood, silver-colored damask, brass casters
Dimensions
16 1/2 × 23 1/8 in. (41.9 × 58.7 cm)
Classification
Woodwork-Furniture
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift from the Arthur and Madeleine Lejwa Collection, 1985
Accession Number
1985.75
Art Historical Context
This elegant four-legged stool, crafted by A. M. E. Fournier in the third quarter the 19th century exemplifies the opulent furniture traditions of Second Empire France. Measuring just 16½ × 23⅛ inches, its compact form suggests it served as a luxurious footstool or occasional seat in a fashionable Parisian interior, where such pieces elevated everyday comfort with grandeur. Expertly carved and gilded wood forms the stool's delicate legs and frame, a technique that highlighted the woodworker's skill and the era's love for lavish surface decoration. The silver-colored damask upholstery adds a s...