Hand-carved in France in the 1800’s, this oak tabouret stool was sculpted by an immensely talented menuisier in the Gothic style. A rectangular seat with canted corners has an elongated elliptic cutout in the center. Below each canted corner is a shallow corbel that extends down to form the back of a figurative leg. There are two distinct characters, one being a woman genuflecting on her left knee and the other being a squatting woman. Both women have their hands on their knees with a cloak hood pulled down to their foreheads.

The sides that are flanked by identical carvings have been left open, allowing a simple rectangular stretcher to be viewed. Each end of the stretcher passes through a connector, where it is secured with a dowel on the outside. Above the connectors is an inset quadrilateral panel that is adorned with several recognizable Gothic motifs. In the center of the panel is a two-tiered rosette set inside a geometric shape with concave sides. The curved edges have been embellished with ogee protuberances, like rose thorns. Similar ogees can be found along the thin molding that mirrors the panel’s edges. The frieze has been carved on all four sides with additional signature Gothic elements, such as cusping, foils, and counter curves. Once again, there are two distinctive sets of carvings: one featuring concave curves and the other having convex curves.

Our 19th century French oak tabouret makes for a highly decorative seating option in a bedroom or powder room. It can be used as a footstool when paired with another highly carved chair.

CONDITION: Good antique condition with minor nicks, losses, and rubs. Light age separations commensurate to age and use.