The artworks of Ben Enwonwu, Nigeria’s most celebrated 20th Century visual artist, have been put up for auction in an online sale organised by Sotheby’s, the BBC reports.
The collection of the Nigerian painter and sculptor includes a rare artwork of the Court of the Oba of Benin which is thought to have been painted in the 1940s.
The auctioneers described the art which was never documented and was held in a private collection as a “masterpiece”.
It was created in the wake of Enwonwu’s apprenticeship with the bronze casters in the Nigerian city of Benin – the home of the famous Benin Bronzes.
The painting, which is one of his earlier works, shows a festival at the Oba’s palace and reflects the artist’s celebration of the culture of the area.
“Throughout his career, Enwonwu felt very strongly that a modern Nigeria should be rooted in its own heritage and history,” Hannah O’Leary, Sotheby’s African art specialist, told the BBC.
The Court of the Oba of Benin which is estimated to cost £100,000 – £150,000 is one of 12 of his works on sale from the auction house’s London base and they all reflect this thinking.
Other artworks in the Enwonwu’s collection up for sale include the sculpture Anyanwu which is estimated at £80,000 – £120,000.
Anyanwu, made in 1956, is a depiction of the Igbo earth goddess Ani and is a miniature version of a piece that was displayed at the National Museum in Lagos.
It was created just a few years before independence in 1960 and Enwonwu said at the time that his “aim was to symbolise our rising nation”.
Agbogho mmuo – estimated at £80,000 – £120,000 is a piece on Igbo masquerades. Agbogho Mmuo – the name of an annual festival, which translates as Maiden Spirits.
The works in the series on sale at Sotheby’s are from the 1970s, but depictions of these traditional ceremonies played a large part in his work up to his death in 1994.
Born Odinigwe Benedict Chukwukadibia Enwonwu on 14 July 1917 in Onitsha, he was arguably the most influential African artist of the 20th century, his pioneering career opened the way for the postcolonial proliferation and increased visibility of modern African art.
Enwonwu who won awards home and abroad died on 5 February 1994 in Ikoyi, Lagos.
See more artworks by Ben on currently on auction:
