LONDON.- A host of new world records at auction for works by some of African’s leading Modern artists were set at Bonhams Africa Now – Modern Africa sale in London yesterday (25 May).

Ben Enwonwu’s Spirit of Ogolo sold for £218,500 against an estimate of £100,000-150,000 – the highest ever price for an oil painting by the Nigerian artist; his Negritide achieved a world record for a work by him on paper when it made £86,500 (£20,000-30,000). In total, Enowonwu’s works achieved a staggering £836,875 which included African Woman, sold for £170,500 (estimate £30,000-50,000).

Used Towel by El Anatsui sold for £176,500 (£50,000-80,000), establishing a new record at auction for a wooden sculpture by the Ghanaian sculptor and beating the previous record set at Bonhams in 2015. Mother of Twins by the Nigerian artist Yusuf Grillo was bought for £146,500 against its estimate of £35,000 - 50,000, again setting a new world record at auction for a work by the painter.

These three artists accounted for the top 10 lots sold in a sale which made a total of £2,000,000.

Bonhams Director of African Art Giles Peppiatt said, “The outstanding success of this sale - in all ten new world records were set - shows that the appetite among collectors for the very best of African Modern art is extremely strong. The bidding was intense throughout the sale with fierce competition for the leading lots. The strength in depth among African Modern and Contemporary artists promises much for the future.”