Benedict Chukwukadibia Enwonwu M.B.E (Nigerian, 1917-1994) Profile Por
Provenance : [Timeline chronologique]
1958-01-01 | This painting was acquired by the previous owner whilst he was working in Lagos between 1958 and 1962
1962-01-01 | Acquired by a US diplomat in Lagos, circa 1962
[Propriété non datée]
- By direct descent
- An expert on public administration and representative bureaucracy, he had been posted to Nigeria on the eve of independence to assist with the transition of power to the newly elected government
- As a consultant of the Nigerian Government, he developed a close relationship with a number of the leading political and social figures of the day
- It was at this point that he met Enwonwu, who had been appointed as cultural advisor to the government
- It is likely that the current painting was purchased as a show of support for the new democratic regime, and Enwonwu’s efforts to forge a unique national aesthetic
- The woman is similar to Enwonwu’s Africa Dances motif in certain respects: she is depicted in profile, emphasizing the sinuous curve of her spine
- Like the Negritude paintings, the picture celebrates independent black identity through the woman’s proud bearing and graceful beauty
- However, the painting is distinct in one important respect; unlike a Negritude subject, she is not a featureless silhouette
- The open mouth, the earring, the wrap of her headscarf all suggest that this is a portrait of a particular individual
- Her hands are clasped behind her back - a gesture that sets her apart from the generalised figures of Africa Dances
- This is not a study of the human form in motion, rather a specific likeness
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