African Mona Lisa

A couple of nights ago I came across one of the most captivating paintings I have ever seen, Tutu. This exquisite portrait of the Ife royal Princess Adetutu Ademiluyi was painted by Nigerian artist Ben Enwonwu in 1974. Enwonwu (who passed in 1994) made three paintings of Tutu after the Nigerian civil war. The paintings of the princess went missing for decades! This one, which has been referred to as the “African Mona Lisa” was just found a few months ago. Apparently, the whereabouts of his other two paintings of Tutu are still a mystery.

“The paintings grew in fame not only for their beauty but for the mystery surrounding their disappearance. The eventual discovery of “Tutu” is partly thanks to the efforts of Giles Peppiatt, Director of African art at Bonhams, who for years made it his mission to find them. People brought him a number of prints but they all transpired to be fakes. Then one day in December 2017, he finally found the real thing. After receiving a tip, Peppiatt made a visit to a “modest” apartment in north London and discovered the painting had been hanging there for the last 30 years. According to Bonhams, Peppiatt said: “I was absolutely staggered when I first saw the piece. The owners, who had inherited it, had no idea of its current value.” The family behind the discovery has chosen to remain anonymous.”

Wednesday this gorg masterpiece sold for $1.6 million dollars at an auction in London. I just can’t stop staring at her. She’s beautiful! I’ve not seen the first picture Enwonwu did of Tutu but I’ve read that from his initial painting of her to this one, you can see him capture her glorious, almost inconspicuous transformation from a girl to a woman. There is that whisper of vulnerability but her grace and confidence are radiant. Maybe that is why I am so engaged with this painting. I am certainly not an art curator but I can’t help but feel in tune with this, the mesmerizing beauty of a woman in transition. I feel like I’m not far removed from my own evolution. I’m in love with this painting!

“Enwonwu frequently made trips to the countryside surrounding Ife, sketching the landscape and recording cultural traditions and practices. It was during one of these visits that he encountered Tutu. He was so impressed by her beauty and unusual features that he asked her parents for permission to paint her. Enwonwu may have also been motivated by her status as a royal princess of Ife – he was also of royal lineage, descended from the Umuezearoli of Onitsha.”

Great fact: Enwonwu was the first African artist commissioned to sculpt a bronze portrait of Queen Elizabeth II which received international acclaim when presented to the Royal Society of British Artists! Here are some more pieces by Ben Enwonwu that are absolutely beautiful. I’m particularly a fan of his Negritude span.