1950s Solid Brazilian rosewood / jacarandá 14 ½ × 15 in.
One of the most influential figures of Brazilian modern design, Sergio Rodrigues developed a distinctly Brazilian vocabulary rooted in traditional craftsmanship, native materials, and an informal approach to modern living. His furniture celebrated the expressive possibilities of wood while moving away from the more austere language of European modernism.
Designed in 1954, the Mocho Stool occupies a particularly important place in Rodrigues’s career. Inspired by the humble wooden milking stool found in the Brazilian countryside, the Mocho transformed a vernacular object into an icon of modern Brazilian design. Its simple three-legged construction and sculptural seat embody Rodrigues’s ability to combine utility, humor, craftsmanship, and Brazilian cultural references within a radically modern form.
