Charlotte Perriand

CHARLOTTE PERRIAND (Paris, 1903–1999).
“Berger” stool. Designed in 1953. Made in France, 1960s.
Solid turned pine.
Provenance: acquired in Toulouse in 1979. Original receipt is included.
Certificate of authenticity included.
In good condition. Shows signs of scuffing and wear consistent with its age and use.
Bibliography: Jacques Barsac, Charlotte Perriand. L’œuvre complète. Volume 2: 1940–1955, Paris, Éditions Norma, 2015, p. 349 (model reproduced).
Measurements: 32 cm high x 27 cm in diameter.

The “Berger” belongs to a group of furniture pieces in which Charlotte Perriand gave a modern interpretation to designs derived from traditional mountain furniture. Conceived in 1953 and inspired by the small stools used by Alpine shepherds, the design particularly clearly encapsulates her interest in combining function, formal economy, and a direct understanding of materials. Cassina, which later incorporated the design into its I Maestri collection, highlights precisely this connection to mountain life and the simplicity of its construction as essential elements of the model.

The piece consists simply of a slightly concave circular seat and three turned legs that flare outward—an elemental structure whose expressiveness depends almost exclusively on its proportions and the wood itself. The seat’s substantial cross-section allows the wood grain to remain fully visible, while the gently hollowed-out surface creates an organic transition between form and function.

Beginning in the 1930s, Charlotte Perriand developed a growing interest in vernacular forms and ways of life linked to the mountains—a direction that took on special importance after World War II and would later find its continuation in projects such as Méribel and Les Arcs. Her work profoundly transformed the relationship between furniture, interior architecture, and everyday life, first alongside Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret and later through an independent career of immense influence. Her designs are held, among other institutions, at the Centre Pompidou and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.