José Zanine Caldas tree trunk stool Brazil 1979

José Zanine Caldas

Portugal, 1919 – 2001
Architect, designer

This extraordinary stool, designed by José Zanine Caldas in 1979, embodies the artist’s deep respect for natural materials and traditional craftsmanship. Handcrafted in his Nova Viçosa workshop, the stool is sculpted from a single solid hardwood trunk, hollowed to form its distinctive conical shape. Finished with transparent lacquer to enhance its stunning natural patina, this piece is not only a functional stool but can also be used as a versatile side table. The stool is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.

Belonging to Caldas’s influential Denúncia series, the trunk stool carries a poignant environmental message. The series was born from Caldas’s reaction to the rampant deforestation of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, where he witnessed valuable wood discarded during logging operations. Determined to highlight the beauty and significance of this endangered resource, Caldas transformed discarded timber into sculptural yet functional pieces, coining the term Protest Furniture. These creations celebrate the natural character of the wood while raising awareness of the environmental toll of deforestation.

Caldas was a self-taught genius from Belmonte, Brazil, whose career spanned multiple disciplines. In the 1940s, he gained renown for crafting architectural scale models for Brazilian modernist icons like Oscar Niemeyer and Lucio Costa. He later founded Fábrica Móveis Artísticos Z, producing standardized plywood furniture, but ultimately grew disillusioned with its mass-production ethos. This led him to Nova Viçosa, where he embraced a more artisanal approach to design, creating the renowned Móveis Denúncia.

Caldas’s work reflects his commitment to Brazilian craftsmanship, the natural environment, and radical design philosophy. His ability to combine functionality with raw, sculptural beauty is evident in this hollow trunk stool. By showcasing the richness of Brazil’s forests while advocating for their preservation, Caldas’s legacy endures as a poignant reminder of design’s capacity to connect with both nature and humanity.