Cameroonian Wood Stool

Four petals, hollowed out and looped like clover.

This wooden stool was carved in Cameroon, Central Africa, in the 20th century. Stools from the Grassfields region of Cameroon are commonly associated with seating and with rank. The dished top sits over a pierced drum, where large, flower-like loops are cut around the waist. A thick circular foot stabilizes the design. The surface is dark brown with a worn, satiny finish, and the loops are cut cleanly through the full thickness of the wood, so light passes straight through the drum.

About 16 inches tall and 18 inches wide. Table, seat, or sculpture, as the day demands.