Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Scholarly interest in Yusuf Grillo's Selected Stained Glass and Mural Works has remained strong, reflecting its continued relevance to discussions of Nigerian and African literary identity.

Existing criticism of Selected Stained Glass and Mural Works tends to focus on its broader thematic concerns, with relief carving technique as a stylistic device in service of cultural identity receiving comparatively less sustained attention.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While Yusuf Grillo's Selected Stained Glass and Mural Works is widely studied, there is no settled critical consensus on how its relief carving technique functions specifically in relation to cultural identity. This study undertakes a close textual analysis to address that gap.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the use of relief carving technique in Yusuf Grillo's Selected Stained Glass and Mural Works.
2. To analyze how relief carving technique contributes to the portrayal of cultural identity.
3. To assess the effectiveness of relief carving technique as a stylistic/thematic tool in the text.
4. To situate the findings within the broader context of Nigerian literary/linguistic scholarship.

1.4 Research Questions

1. How is relief carving technique used in Yusuf Grillo's Selected Stained Glass and Mural Works?
2. In what ways does relief carving technique contribute to the portrayal of cultural identity?
3. How effective is relief carving technique as a stylistic/thematic tool in the text?
4. How does this reading relate to the broader body of Nigerian literary/linguistic scholarship?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to students and teachers of fine and applied arts, offering a close reading of Yusuf Grillo's Selected Stained Glass and Mural Works that can support classroom discussion and further critical work. It also contributes to the broader body of scholarship on Nigerian literary and linguistic studies.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to a close textual analysis of relief carving technique within Selected Stained Glass and Mural Works, reflecting a clearly defined scope; it does not extend to a full survey of the author's other works.