Cameroonian Wood Stool

Cameroon, where carvers turn a seat into architecture, and take pride in it.

This round wooden stool was carved in the 20th century from a single block. Between the dished circular seat and the ring base stands an openwork lattice of interlocking angular elements, a lively, cage-like column.

Fourteen and a half inches high and the same across, compact and sturdy. The gray-brown surface shows deep age: a crack across the seat, and small chips along the lattice where paler wood shows beneath.

Sit on it, or just admire the engineering.