18th Century Curule Stool

About This Object

A very rare and beautiful late 18th century Directoire / Empire style curule stool featuring exquisite swan feet. France, circa 1790-1800.

Why we like it

As classicists, we marvel at the numerous interpretations of ancient forms and designs revived during the Renaissance and Enlightenment eras. Among these, curule stools, with their distinctive x-shaped frame, are one of our favorite examples of the timelessness and continuity of ancient design.

This stool is made to a design by Jean Démosthène Dugourc (1749-1825), who was undoubtedly inspired by ancient Roman bronze curule stools (the Romans, in turn, were inspired by Etruscan and/or Egyptian stools - a photo of one of such stools at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is added to this listing as an illustration of the origins of design - but that’s a much longer conversation!).

Dugourc was an architect, ornamentalist, and printmaker. In 1780, he was appointed designer to the duc d'Orléans, and in 1784 'dessinateur du garde-meuble du roi' (designer of the king's furniture repository) and 'Intendant des bâtiments de Monsieur' (Superintendent of the buildings of Monsieur, the King's brother). He designed for most of the leading ébénistes, menuisiers, bronziers, and sculptors of the day. He also worked as a designer for the silk firm of Pernon in Lyons from 1774 to 1790. Between 1800 and 1814, Dugourc was employed in Spain as 'Premier architecte du roi d'Espagne et du prince de la Paix' (First architect to the King of Spain and the Prince of the Peace, Manuel de Godoy, who negotiated the Treaty of Basel in 1795, ending the war between Spain and France).

The original Dugourc's design is being held at Cooper Hewett, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York, USA. It was purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council in 1920. Accession Number 1921-6-135.

Dimensions

Height: 17 in / 43 cm
Width: 17.5 in / 44.5 cm
Depth: 17 in / 43 cm

Condition

Good original antique condition, traditional hand-stitched upholstery and newly re-covered in plain cotton.