First Live Sketch of H.M Queen Elizabeth II

In 1956, Ben Enwonwu received the greatest portrait commission of his career as an artist. The famous life-size bronze portrait of Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of England was conceived by the queen herself to commemorate her visit to Nigeria the same year and also celebrate the relationship between Nigeria and Britain.

Enwonwu was the first African artist to receive such a royal commission from the British Monarch, giving him a bigger global recognition. According to the West African Review, “the news that Her Majesty the Queen is to give sittings to the Nigerian sculptor, Mr. Ben Enwonwu, sets the royal seal on the renown of West Africa’s most famous artist.”

Execution of the portrait commenced in 1957. The queen was recorded to have sat 12 times for the preliminary sketches that would finally be developed into the sculpture. Enwonwu was well known for forming his sculptures clearly and meticulously (as sketches) before execution which was a secondary activity to him. Concept and vision were very central to him in his productions. This painting is a copy developed in 1958 from the first live sketch of the Queen.