Benedict Chukwukadibia Enwonwu M.B.E (Nigerian, 1917-1994) Yoruba Woman In Blue, Oil
Provenance : [Timeline chronologique]
2008-01-01 | Whatever the neo-African culture is today, art should express it and should employ all the native and acquired means that are possible.' (Enwonwu quoted in Ogbechie, 2008: p. 79)
2016-01-01 | I believe very strongly in being myself and to be original and African.' In many ways, this work resonates with the pastel drawing by the artist; Portrait of a Yoruba lady sold by Bonhams in 2016
[Propriété non datée]
- [and] will change its course in accordance with the infiltration of western [sic] culture
- Leaving Nigeria for London in 1944 to pursue his artistic education, Enwonwu enrolled at the Slade School of Fine Art, before being admitted to Ruskin College at the University of Oxford upon the outbreak of the Second World War
- During his time at university, Enwonwu wrote his intentions for his artistic style and career in August 1943: 'I am keeping my art African – even if I stay in England for 60 years, I will still figure in my works, a plain blunt African
- It could be concluded that, as both the drawing and present oil painting were completed in the same year of 1973, Portrait of a Yoruba lady was perhaps a preparatory drawing for this captivating painting
- While slightly differing in the angle and adornments of the subject, both profiles present us with a Yoruba woman
- Moreover, both portraits present an emphasis on the compositional technique that the artists employs, by which he illuminates the subjects from the left-hand side
- Again, this element of the works strongly resonate with the paintings of the Tutu series
- Resonating further with the Tutu series and due to the present work's exhibition records and numbers inscribed on the original pre-restorative stretcher (included with this lot), it is highly likely that this work preluded the Tutu series
- In an exhibition record of April 1973, it could be concluded that, given these lot numbers, it is highly likely that this work was included
- While two numbers on the stretcher, numbers 24 and 47, have a line drawn through them implying perhaps a mistaken numerical labelling, all three numbers insinuate works of a similar content to the present work
- Decisively, number 31 remains uncrossed, thus concluding this titl
Exhibited :
Literature :
Notes :
Condition_report :
