Empire Style Curcule Seats, 1900s, Set of 2

Pair of mahogany Empire style stools or curule seats standing on curved X legs finished by lion paws, linked each other by turned baluster shaped stretchers. Upper part of legs is forming armrests linked each other by similar stretchers. Gilt brass ornaments of empire style stars, three in front and also in the back. Entirely reupholstered on the rectangular cushion by a yellow background ZIMMER and RHODE fabric with geometrical purple motifs, STIMULATION reference. Work realized in the 1900s. The curule seat was a symbol of judicial power during Ancient Rome. Indeed, this seat, originally foldable, was reserved to magistrates who beneficiated to imperium, meaning a power of constraint such as consuls, dictators, praetor and curule councillor. Its use came from Etruria to Roma at the Roman royalty period, as a movable seat. Essentially originally folding, it was built in wood with ivory incrustations, even with metal or bronze, covered with gilt or silvered ornaments. This seat was famous during Middle Ages, Renaissance, then rediscovered during Directoire and still popular during the First Empire. Some contemporary designers as Pierre Paulin reused this ancient shape to recreate modern curule seats.