A painting by the Nigerian artist responsible for the ‘African Mona Lisa’ sold at auction in London on Tuesday for £1.1m after the family who owned it googled the signature and realised its importance.

‘Christine,’ by 20th century master of African modernism Ben Enwonwu, had been in the sitter’s family home ever since it was painted in Lagos in 1971.
“The family were unaware of the significance of the painting or the importance of the artist, until a chance googling of the signature led them to Sotheby’s free Online Estimate Platform,” said the London auction house.
The painting fetched over seven times the pre-auction estimate, finally going under the hammer for £1.1m (1.3 million euros, $1.4m).
The work precedes the artist’s 1974 painting of Ife royal princess Adetutu ‘Tutu’ Ademiluyi, which recently turned up in a London flat after not being seen in decades.

The portrait is a national icon in Nigeria, with Booker Prize-winning novelist Ben Okri telling AFP that it was thought of as “the African Mona Lisa.”
Enwonwu, who died in 1994, is considered the father of Nigerian modernism.

He made three paintings of ‘Tutu,’ the locations of all of which had been a mystery until the recent discovery.
The works became symbols of peace following the clash of ethnic groups in the Nigerian-Biafran conflict of the late 1960s.
https://punchng.com/ben-enwonwus-painting-sold-for-1-1m-after-google-search/

Great work

No pics

That's a master peace. Probably bought by a Nigerian . The where abouts of the other two peaces is still unknown.

Lol. Nigerians can't understand or appreciate this. Unless it's tacha, Mercy or mc Galaxy.

N

Where is the sample of the painting

I gat many paintings!!!!

Abeg mine no cost, at all

Wow!

Ife eji malu onicha erika...


Igbo amaka!

First time I'm hearing of a Nigerian art piece sold at so high a price. I'm impressed

Mate where are the pics

hmmm

Na who I offend.

Could any one on here tell me the meaning or wu or wu wu its korean Chinese or Japanese language but i have found out what the meaning is still want people to help me out and tell me the meaning this could save an innocent man from been lied to.

Nice one

One babe bought an art work for 20k... Well thats what she told me....

Off course I don't believe her... Maybe she saw it on the floor or something.... Slay queen buy art, na lie

Bloody Bloggers! Where is the painting sample? The article is so incoherent sef. Mtseww

PerfectlyPerfect:
First time I'm hearing of a Nigerian art piece sold at so high a price. I'm impressed

I guess you are not a follower of Nigerian art, quite a few have been auctioned at great prices at Sotheby's.

You can always google for the information.

No photo? Na wa for this topic o

Aderewah:
Lol. Nigerians can't understand or appreciate this. Unless it's tacha, Mercy or mc Galaxy.

What do you expect from a people with 3rd world living and "7th world education"?

And this made FP with no pics? The mod should just tell us He wanted to promote op's blog.

Nairaland is just like our dear nation Nigeria.
Giving in to Law if diminishing return.

Ben Enwonwu....i studied about him in high school.
Ladi Kwali
Bruce Onobrakpeya
Yusuf Grillo
Uche Okeke
Aina Onabolu
Demas Nwoko

Op, pls show us the picture nah

2sexycom:


What do you expect from a people with 3rd world living and "7th world education"?

Lol. Some will even say ordinary painting

Ben Eweonwu , the name rings a bell , I think I have crossed through his works during school days , but can't remember now.

PerfectlyPerfect:
First time I'm hearing of a Nigerian art piece sold at so high a price. I'm impressed

‘Tutu’ by Enwonwu sold for $1.67 million in early-2018...
>

Aderewah:
Lol. Nigerians can't understand or appreciate this. Unless it's tacha, Mercy or mc Galaxy.

are you a Nigerian?
how can MC Oluomo our Menthol not make this list?
please save MC Galaxy and replace with our menthol

majamajic:
Ben Eweonwu , the name rings a bell , I think I have crossed through his works during school days , but can't remember now.

He did the Sango statute in front of the old NEPA building on the Marina (in Lagos Island)...
>

9jaRealist:


He did the Shango statute in front of the old NEPA building on the Marina (in Lagos Island)...
>

Wow !!!

I love art