The man who redefined what it means to be an African artist
Updated 5:30 AM ET, Sat March 24, 2018
Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds.
(CNN)Ben Enwonwu etched himself into Nigerian history.
His painting of a Yoruba princess in "Tutu" is considered a national masterpiece, with copies of it hanging in Nigerian homes across the country. To much speculation, the sought-after original was lost for over 40 years.
The renowned Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, told BBC's Radio 4 in 2013: "This particular painting "Tutu," the print, hung on every wall, of every middle class family in eastern Nigeria when I was growing up."
So when the famous portrait was recently unearthed in a "modest" London flat and sold at auction for $1.6 million (February 28) -- four times its estimated price, it sparked huge interest in the art world and amongst buyers in Nigeria -- many had set up shop in a hotel in Lagos to make live bids.
Photos: The work of Ben Enwonwu
Ben Enwonwu – Fulani Girl (1952).
Hide Caption
1 of 11
Photos: The work of Ben Enwonwu
Ben Enwonwu – Children of Onitsha.
Hide Caption
2 of 11
Photo