Split Leg Root Table

The organic form of this 19th-century wooden side table was naturally formed within the gnarled roots of an old elm tree. The tree stump top splits into three thick, branch-like legs, richly textured throughout with a smooth patina and deep grooves that follow the currents of the grain.

Unlike the elaborate rootwood sculptures coveted by Qing-dynasty elite, this root stool likely has more humble origins. Blade marks texturing the top surface suggest this stool was once used as a chopping block, perhaps to prepare meals in a rural Shanxi kitchen. Today, the sculptural, wabi-sabi form stirs the imagination with its biomorphic shape and beautifully timeworn finish.