Pierre Jeanneret Round Stools with Upholstered Seats, Chandigarh, c.1960s

Round upholstered stool by Pierre Jeanneret from the Chandigarh furniture program, circa 1960s. A contemporary dark alpaca-and-wool cushion sits above a vintage circular timber seat, supported by three tapered teak legs and a metal ring stretcher. Jeanneret’s furniture for Chandigarh included modest working stools as well as the city’s better-known armchairs, desks and cabinets. These compact forms belonged to the same architectural project in post-independence India, bringing a disciplined approach to construction into everyday institutional interiors. A small seat, a few supporting members and a system of stretchers could produce an unusually expressive object. The designs reveal Jeanneret’s interest in proportion and practical woodworking, allowing the geometry of the support to remain visible rather than concealing it behind decoration. The legs spread gently toward the floor and are linked by a thin circular ring, repeating the geometry of the seat at a lower level. Traces of green paint survive on parts of the metalwork. The upholstery adds a rounded, tactile upper layer while leaving the wooden rim and tall supporting structure clearly visible. A photographed seat rim reads “P.G.I(ST-14)149.” P.G.I is associated with the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, established in 1962. The remaining characters are an individual inventory designation. The inscription is painted directly on the vintage timber and preserves a particular institutional history beneath the later upholstered seat. The vintage teak retains variations in grain, color and surface wear, with softened edges and individual traces of use visible in the photographs. These details give the woodwork its material character and preserve the sense of a furnishing made for daily life in institutional or residential interiors. The present upholstery is a later treatment of the vintage structure. Dimensions: approximately 12.5 inches in diameter and 24 inches high. Provenance: private collection, Chandigarh, India, as recorded by Studio Balestra. Accompanied by a Studio Balestra Certificate of Authenticity. Dimensions: 12.5” Dia x 24”H Product Type: Stools