Sapi Stone Figure of a Man Riding an Elephant (Nomoli), Liberia or Sierra Leone

Leonard Kahan, New York
Myron Kunin, Minneapolis, acquired from the above on May 15, 1984

Good condition for an object of this type and great age. Old loss to proper right arm of figure and proper right ear of elephant, and to proper left ear of the figure. Chip to forehead, probably from a farm tool upon figure's discovery. Old chips around bottom edge. Minor marks, nicks, scratches, abrasions, and small dents and chips consistent with age and use. Fine aged surface. Vertical hole in top of the head.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Stone carvings such as the present sculpture, called nomoli, have been found in the soil of southeastern Sierra Leone as well as in adjacent portions of Liberia. They are believed to be of great age, and were likely made by populations ancestral to the Sherbro dating from a period well before the arrival of Europeans in 1463. Nomoli figures of the size and complexity of the Kunin group are rare; still rarer are those which depict multiple elements and narrative iconography.  In the present group, a powerful spirit bearing attributes of his status - a carefully manicured beard and coiffure, and knotted belt - rides atop an elephant, identifiable by its trunk and large ears, which mirror those of the figure.  At the front of a composition lies a small prostrate body, presumably a vanquished enemy, his head underneath the elephant's foot.  Surrounding the figure are a series of nine heads, probably representing the skulls of the defeated.  The importance of the spirit is reinforced by the relative scale of these elements; a massive head and powerful body dwarf the elephant, and his legs astride the animal reach the ground.