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HOME :
African & Tribal Art :
Kissi : Kissi Soapstone Nomoli Sculpture of a Seated Man
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Kissi Soapstone Nomoli Sculpture of a Seated Man - PF.6154
Origin: Guinea/Sierra Leone
Circa: 16
th
Century AD
to 20
th
Century AD
Dimensions:
6" (15.2cm) high
Collection: African
Style: Kissi
Medium: Soapstone
£6,000.00
Location: UAE
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| Description |
The Kissi people revere stone anthropomorphic
carvings found in fields and rivers in an area
located around the Sewa and Mano Rivers. They
are called Pombo, meaning “the deceased.”
These carvings are extremely old and it was not
until 1959 that Western scholars associated
them with the so-called Afro-Portuguese ivory
objects carved by artists of the Sapi kingdom.
Although the Sapi kingdom collapsed in the 16th
century, their art survived buried beneath the
ground. Occasionally, these ancient works would
be accidentally unearthed, usually through
flooding or farming. Kissi artists would often
rework the Sapi sculptures, resulting in a
multitude of variations of types and styles. This
charming sculpture depicts a seated figure
holding his hands just below his chin, apparently
stroking his beard. Such similar beards are often
the markings of the ruling elite, suggesting that
this work may depict a chief. The
disproportionate emphasis placed on the head of
this figure is typically African and his facial
features, including his large lips, flaring nose,
and bulging eyes, are characteristic the type.
Pombo sculptures were believed to house ancient
spirits. According to Kissi belief, these
sculptures acted as intermediaries between the
living and their deceased ancestors. They would
be worshiped on small altars or in deep bowls.
The holes carved into the stomach and head of
this figure suggest that magical substances were
placed inside in order to activate the spiritual
powers of the work. This sculpture, a literal relic
of the past, continues to communicate with the
lost world left behind. Magically unearthed, it is
a gift from the past to the present. Surely, this
sculpture was as revered by the Kissi villagers
who discovered it as by the Sapi artists who
crafted it.
- (PF.6154)
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