Connect with us

Entertainment

Ben Enwonwu’s 1971 art work sells for $1.4m at London auction

Published

on

Ben Enwonwu's 1971 art work sells for $1.4m at London auction

An art work by the late Ben Enwonwu tagged “Christine”, painted in 1971 in Lagos, Nigeria, has been sold for the sum of $1.4m, at an auction staged in London.

Reports say the value of the painting, by Ben Enwonwu, who is regarded as the father of Nigerian modernism, came to the notice of owners after they googled the artist’s signature.

Auction house, Sotheby’s says the work of art had been sitting pretty in the home of the family of the Enwonwu’s, after it was brought to life through painting in the 70’s.

READ ALSO: Tiwa Savage refutes fake relationship post impersonating her on social media

But following the passage of time they “were unaware of the significance of the painting or the importance of the artist, until a chance ‘googling’ of the signature,” it adds.

Enwonwu, who died in 1994, also produced “Tutu”, which had been described by Nigerian novelist Ben Okri, as the “African Mona Lisa”.Tutu was sold last year for $1.5m after it was discovered in a London flat.

Ben Enwonwu became more widely known when he was commissioned to create a bronze sculpture of Queen Elizabeth during her visit to Nigeria in 1956.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

9 + 17 =