Photos: Ben Enwonwu\The National Archives\Wikimedia Commons
A previously unknown World War II-era water color painting by legendary Nigerian artist Ben Enwonwu has been discovered in the UK’s National Archives.
“Yams” was uncovered among posters commissioned by the UK’s information ministry during the war as part of a propaganda effort aimed at colonial Nigeria to encourage self-sufficiency. The print shows people transporting yams by boat and is signed by “BChas Enwonwu, 1942.”
The print, created when the artist was just 25, has been verified by international auction house Bonhams and Enwonwu’s biographer.
While Enwonwu (1917-1994) has long been respected for his visionary work by art lovers, there has been a resurgence in broader awareness of his impact on modern African art over the last decade. In 2018, his most expensive work “Tutu” sold for $1.6 million. “Christine,” another of his works which was discovered in a Texas attic in 2019, sold for $1.4 million.
