Pierre Jeanneret Round Stools with Iron Stretchers, Model PJ-SI-22-A, Chandigarh, c.1965-66

Round teak stools with iron stretchers by Pierre Jeanneret, model PJ-SI-22-A, from the Chandigarh furniture program, circa 1965–1966. Three tapered legs support a solid circular seat and are linked by a slender metal ring, reducing the construction to a few clearly expressed elements. 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 toward the floor beneath the compact seat. The iron ring acts as a stretcher and repeats the circular outline of the top at a lower level. Traces of turquoise-green paint survive on parts of the metalwork, contrasting with the dark, heavily worn timber. One photographed seat edge is marked “P.G.I(ST-14)186,” and “ST-14” also survives on a leg. P.G.I is associated with the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, established in 1962. The remaining letters and numerals form part of the individual inventory code. These inscriptions, together with the considerable wear of the seat surface, preserve evidence of the stools’ institutional working life. 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. Dimensions: approximately 13 inches in diameter and 22 inches high. Provenance: private collection, Chandigarh, India, as recorded by Studio Balestra. Accompanied by a Studio Balestra Certificate of Authenticity. Dimensions: 13" Diameter Seat x 22"H Product Type: Stools