This intellectual biography explores the life and work of Ben Enwonwu (1917–1994), a pioneering modern African artist whose contributions reshaped twentieth-century art history. Long overlooked in global art narratives, modern African artists like Enwonwu challenged Western-dominated modernist discourse. In this volume, Sylvester Ogbechie highlights Enwonwu’s role in advancing African modernism, his engagement with colonial and postcolonial cultural dynamics, and his use of Negritude and Pan-Africanism to redefine African art. Rather than a broad study of modernism, the book focuses on situating Enwonwu within historical and intellectual contexts, affirming his significance in both African and global art history.