Benedict Chukwukadibia Enwonwu M.B.E (Nigerian, 1917-1994)Portrait of Marianne
signed and dated 'Ben Enwonwu/ 1972' (lower left)
oil on board
88 x 72cm (34 5/8 x 28 3/8in).注脚Provenance
A private collection, London.

This portrait depicts the Nigerian actress, Marianne Inness. Enwonwu met Marianne when he was living in Camden. She occupied one of the neighbouring apartments in Duncan House.

Although Enwonwu first encountered the sitter in London, it is likely that he painted the portrait in Nigeria. He had been appointed professor of Fine Art at the University of Ife in 1971. On weekends, he would frequently drive around the surrounding area, making sketches of the landscape and local villages. The forest setting behind Marianne was most likely inspired by one of these excursions.

Marianne's attire is very similar in style to the outfits worn by followers of the Black Movement in America in the 1970s. First coined by activist, Stokely Carmichael, in 1966, 'Black Power' advocated racial pride, self-sufficiency and equality for all people of Black and African descent. The protests of splinter organizations such as the Black Panther Party and the Black Women's United Front received widespread coverage in the international press, and inspired artists and thinkers the other side of the Atlantic.

Black Power ideology was also disseminated by musicians such as James Brown. His funk song 'Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud' became the unofficial anthem of the Black Power movement. Brown toured Nigeria in 1970, performing at Fela Kuti's club in Lagos. The reception they received was overwhelmingly positive, as the bassist, William 'Bootsy' Collins, later described:

"They were treating us like kings. We were telling them they're the funkiest cats we ever heard in our life. I mean, this is the James Brown band, but we were totally wiped out! That was one trip I wouldn't trade for anything in the world."

Collins' anecdote demonstrates his and Brown's mutual respect for Fela. The tour inspired many young Nigerians to adopt the fashion of these musical icons. It is perhaps not surprising that Enwonwu, with his Pan-Africanist sympathies, would choose to present Marianne in this attire. In this portrait, she transcends her identity as Marianne the British-based actress, and becomes a symbol of Black pride.