Provincial River Stool

This early 20th-century stool from China's Hebei province features a wide, rectangular seat supported by splayed legs linked with simple stretcher bars. Constructed of northern elm (yumu) using mortise-and-tenon joinery techniques, without the use of nails or screws, the stool has a balanced form and timeless rustic appeal. Beautifully worn from a century of use, the wood's expressive grain draws sinuous lines along the seat, like the swirling waters of a river current.