ANTIQUE WOODEN STOOL WITH CARVED SEAT FROM SURINAME

Provenance: Private collection Loed van Bussel, Amsterdam

Stools were important in Maroon culture, for it was forbidden to sit on the ground. Accordingly, most households would have several stools. Typically, they were carved by the man of the house, often as a marriage gift to his wife or wives. The culture was frequently matrilineal – inheritance passed down the female line. They were animists: every object was assumed to be the residence of a spirit, presumably including this stool.

Maroon people, Suriname, South America
Wood, 33 x 23 cm

Price:  €  575,-