Lot 111
  • 111

Akinola Lasekan

Estimate
6,000 - 9,000 GBP
bidding is closed

Description

  • Akinola Lasekan
  • Fulani 
  • signed and dated 1959 (lower right)
  • oil and graphite on board
  • 59 by 45cm., 23¼ by 17¾in.
  • Executed in 1959

Provenance

Private Collection, Lagos

Condition

There are light surface scratches to the brim of the hat, above and to the right of the head. A vertical tear is to the left side of the upper framing edge, measuring approximately 2 cm. There is a vertical strip of clear liquid residue approximately 2 cm wide from the collar of the shirt to the lower framing edge. All these are as visible in the catalogue illustration. Examination under UV light shows no evidence of retouch or repair.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

Born in Owo, Ondo State in 1916, Akinola Lasekan began his rich career working as a textile designer with the Compagnie Française-Africaine Occidental and as an illustrator for CMBS Bookshop. Gaining his education through correspondence courses, Lasekan obtained his first degree in 1937 from Normal House in England and his second in 1939 from Washington School of Art.

Along with colleagues such as Ben Enwonwu and Bruce Onobrakpeya, Akinola Lasekan has come to be recognized as a pioneer of Nigerian Modernism. A student of Aina Onabulo, one of the most highly regarded figures of Nigerian Modern art, Lasekan began his career under the influence of his teacher’s naturalist style and preference for portraiture. Although Lasekan would continue to create mesmerizing portraits, such as Fulani, the artist would come to develop his own distinct style which was heavily influenced by Yoruba culture. The artist expanded his practice to include depictions of his surroundings, focusing on daily life in Nigeria.

Akinola Lasekan was a member of a rising group of Nigerian Modernists that exhibited a keen interest in Nigeria’s political future. Heavily engaged and highly critical of colonialist rule and the conservative elite, Lasekan aligned himself with the Nigerian Nationalist Party. The artist became the first political cartoonist in Nigeria.

Painted in 1959, just one year before Nigerian independence, this present work is a beautiful portrait of a Fulani man sporting a traditional Fula hat. The Fula people are known to be one of the largest and most widely spread ethnic groups across West Africa. The work’s date of creation coupled with the subject’s perplexed or angered expression and his sartorial affiliation to a noted West African indigenous group reinforces Lasekan’s alliance with the Nigerian Nationalist cause. Lasekan’s work is characterized by his keen attention to detail and elegant use of colour.

Due to his tremendous impact on subsequent generations of Nigerian artists, Lasekan is widely considered to be one of Nigeria’s more influential modernist teachers. Dedicated to educating young Nigerians, Lasekan published countless instructional books and established his own correspondence school for the arts.