Benedict Chukwukadibia Enwonwu M.B.E (Nigerian, 1917-1994) The Blue Headscarf
Provenance : Provenance Michael Stevenson, Cape Town; A private collection. Girl with a Blue Headscarf is a clear reference by Enwonwu to the c.1665 portrait, Girl With The Pearl Earring, by Dutch Golden Age painter, Johannes Vermeer. The posture of the sitter, the direction of the eyes, the clothing and even the earring, are all direct references to the 17th century Vermeer painting. This was by no means meant as a copy but rather as an interpretation. There are several other examples of this throughout Enwonwu's career from his 1946 self-portrait, which references Vincent Van Gogh, to his Negritude paintings of the 1970's and 1980's, which echo the paintings of Harlem Renaissance artist, Aaron Douglas. Enwonwu had a vast knowledge of African, European and American art history. As early as his time spent under the tutelage of Kenneth C. Murray at Umuahia Government College, Enwonwu was reading books on art history. In letters from this period, Enwonwu is seen to reference Van Gogh, Jacob Epstein, Augustus John, Cyrus Leroy Baldridge and William Blake. Enwonwu however, was still of the opinion that his art must be African. In a letter from November 1942, Enwonwu wrote: 'Modern Nigerian art must grow from the old art because it was a most sincere form of art. Art in Nigeria today cannot expect to survive if it tends to grow out of European art. Reproductions of William Blake bid one to appreciate the way he composes and the idea behind his paintings, yet he is realistic. Van Gogh an Impressionist yet his art is not primitive and void of proportion, nor even perspective. William Turner's are transformations of the beauty of Mother Nature but Turner was realistic.' Enwonwu understood the importance of European art history but by no means imitated it. For example Girl with a Blue Headscarf was Enwonwu's own interpretations of celebrated European masterpieces, painted in his style and of African themes. As Enwonwu wrote in August 1943: 'I am keeping my art African – even if I stay in England for 60 years, I will still figure in my works, a plain blunt African. I believe very strongly in being myself and to be original and African.'
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