Bonhams has succeeded with the sale of its most prominent Nigerian picture:
Tutu, a long-lost portrait by Ben Enwonwu of the Ife royal princess Adetutu Ademiluyi set a new world record for the artist’s work at auction, achieving £1,205,000 at Bonhams Africa Now sale in London today (28 February). After a 20-minute bidding frenzy, the work sold to a bidder on the telephone. The result makes it the most valuable Modern Nigerian painting sold at auction. It had an estimate of £200,000-300,000.