Definition: a piece of cross-base furniture, usually a chair or stool, in which the legs consist of two curved pieces joined in the middle, like a pair of interlocked U's or a single wavy X; derived from a 6th century BC Roman seat, the sella curulis, that was backless and portable; with the rise of Neoclassical styles in the later 18th century, it was revived, featuring in Louis XVI designs and later Sheraton designs; also characteristic of Empire and American Federal pieces, such as those designed by Duncan Phyfe, who incorporated the bent legs into chairs with tall backs (see photo)
Also Known As: Savonarola or Dante chair (variations), scissors chair, Grecian cross chair
Pronunciation: kyur-ool
Example: In a Duncan Phyfe curule chair, the X-silhouette formed by the curved legs appears in profile, not in the front of the piece, as with the classic Roman seat.