Sapi. Fragment of a Saltcellar, 16th century. Ivory, 6 3/8in. (16.2cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alastair B. Martin, the Guennol Collection, 52.169. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 52.169_SL1.jpg)
Sapi. Fragment of a Saltcellar, 16th century. Ivory, 6 3/8in. (16.2cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alastair B. Martin, the Guennol Collection, 52.169. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 52.169_view1_acetate_bw.jpg)
Sapi. Fragment of a Saltcellar, 16th century. Ivory, 6 3/8in. (16.2cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alastair B. Martin, the Guennol Collection, 52.169. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 52.169_view2_acetate_bw.jpg)
Fragment of a Saltcellar
Arts of Africa
During the first half of the sixteenth century, Sapi craftsmen in Sierra Leone became famous for carving ivory objects for export to Europeans. This “saltcellar” actually was never meant to hold salt, but served as an ornamental pedestal cup. Now missing its lid, the cup originally had a series of four human figures—two males wearing trousers (most likely depictions of Europeans) and two nude females—alternating with four dogs around the base. Only fragments of these carved human and animal figures remain.
CULTURE
Sapi
MEDIUM
Ivory
DATES
16th century
DIMENSIONS
6 3/8in. (16.2cm)
Other (Diameter of bottom): 6 3/8 x 4 5/8 x 4 5/8 in. (16.2 x 11.7 x 11.7 cm) (show scale)
COLLECTIONS
Arts of Africa
ACCESSION NUMBER
52.169
CREDIT LINE
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alastair B. Martin, the Guennol Collection
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION
Base of a "salt cellar" of chalice type. The cup stands on a convex circular base decorated with curved lines of "beaded" ivory. The stem is decorated with rows of this beading technique and has a large circular flange in the middle also decorated with "beading" and some figures in relief. The cup is decorated with bands and curving lines of "beading" as well as animals anad human figures in relief around the lower half, (4 humans, 4 animals). CONDITION: parts of the upper cup are missing, the figures in relief are badly damaged and missing. Parts of the circular base are badly damaged.
EXHIBITIONS
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is not on view
CAPTION
Sapi. Fragment of a Saltcellar, 16th century. Ivory, 6 3/8in. (16.2cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alastair B. Martin, the Guennol Collection, 52.169. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 52.169_SL1.jpg)
IMAGE
overall, 52.169_SL1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
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RIGHTS STATEMENT
Creative Commons-BY
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