Benedict Chukwukadibia Enwonwu M.B.E (Nigerian, 1917-1994)The orange headscarf
signed and dated 'BEN ENWONWU/ 1962' (lower right)
oil on canvas
93.5 x 53cm (36 13/16 x 20 7/8in).注脚Provenance
Acquired in Lagos in the mid-1970s.
A private collection.

In the years following Nigeria's independence from Great Britain, Enwonwu was tasked by the new Federal Government to advise on art education and cultural matters. A supporter of Pan-Africanism and Senghor's Negritude ideology, Enwonwu espoused the need for Nigerian art to throw off its adherence to colonial models and embrace a new aesthetic that reflected the aspirations of the Nigerian peoples and the unique social and political conditions of Nigerian culture.

1962 was a pivotal and intensely productive year for Enwonwu. He had been commissioned to work on a number of major public installations including the Nigerian Port Authority Mural, and the large bronze statue of Nnamdi Azikiwe in Onitsha. At the same time, he was working on a series of paintings that were due to be displayed in the Exhibition Centre that September.

The orange headscarf presages his most famous portrait, the 1973 portrait of Adetutu ('Tutu') Ademiluyi, the granddaughter of a former Ooni (king) of Ife. The chiaroscuro effects around the head and neck, and the confident and loose treatment of the sitters dress, are all to be found in this later seminal work.

He said at that time:

"In my opinion, the preservation and continuity of the characteristic quality of African art depends largely on how modern African artists can borrow techniques of the West without copying European art."

These masterly techniques have been employed with bravura in this enchanting portrait.

It is interesting to note how many female portraits were completed by Enwonwu in 1962. A unifying feature is the artist's careful observation of dress and hairstyle. The orange scarf acts as a beacon, drawing the eye to the sitter's head and then down to her décolletage. For Enwonwu, celebrating the beauty of the black female form was a way of demonstrating his commitment to Negritude ideology, and forging a uniquely Nigerian voice.