6 - Leon Gallery

Transcription

6 - Leon Gallery

Jose John Santos III
Untitled
Nena Saguil
Untitled
Fernando Amorsolo
Mangingisda
Auction
Saturday | September 10, 2016
2:00 PM
Preview
September 3 - 9, 2016
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Venue
G/F Eurovilla 1
Rufino corner Legazpi Streets
Legazpi Village, Makati City
Philippines
Contact
www.leon-gallery.com
[email protected]
+632 856-27-81
Foreword
Dear Friends,
For this edition of our much-awaited Magnificent September Auction 2016, we have
an astonishing selection of works from three centuries — the 19th, 20th, and 21st
centuries — gathered for the first time all together at the León Gallery sale room.
We also mark the launch of León Gallery’s new model for auctions, featuring a segment
curated by Ramon N. Villegas and Lisa Guerrero Nakpil. Titled “Two Navels”, it is inspired
by the seminal novel, “The Woman with Two Navels” by Nick Joaquin, an allusion to the
multiple umbilical cords possessed by Filipino artists, past and present. Seventeen amazing
works from the breadth and depth of Philippine art are organized around that theme.
A more free-wheeling, but equally intriguing selection of delights are also on offer:
To start, there is Onib Olmedo’s homage to the defining Picasso painting “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon"(Paris, 1907) which
is a stunning highlight this September. His “La Demoiselle de Manille” (1995) is by turns disturbing and yet mesmerizing,
capturing the underbelly of Manila in its brothels, as Picasso did in his work on the Calle de Avignon in Barcelona. The work
is not just monumental in its size, but also in its intent.
A brilliant, sun-streaked Juvenal Sansó juxtaposes beauty and desolation, his twin and familiar obsessions.
Also featured are not just one but two works of note by Geraldine Javier, one of the brightest stars in the contemporary
Filipino art firmament: “Daydream” (2001) is a highly personal work painted for one of her friends, the chanteuse Kate
Torralba; “What Remains” (2014) is an engrossing triptych which overlays ink, encaustic, and fabric.
Fernando Amorsolo’s riveting “Ruins on Rizal Avenue” (1945) and Jose John Santos’ work from 2007 of an American jeep
(and its sainted driver) in downtown Manila appear to be in dialogue. Gallineras (benches originally designed to hold
roosters or gallos) are inexplicably ranged outside a stately mansion that hide secrets behind portals curtained in red.
There are no mysteries, however, in the savage beauty of Amorsolo’s Avenida Rizal, stripped of its grandeur by the War
yet still standing unbowed.
Not to be missed are treasures from Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio: Bonifacio’s talisman (anting-anting), which was
featured in Jaime C. Laya’s book, titled “Consuming Passions: Philippine Collectibles”, has outstanding provenance, having
been in the collection of Don Epifanio de los Santos who then gave it as a gift to Dr. Jose P. Bantug. Bonifacio is known
to have employed talismans to rally his otherwise ill-equipped troops to do ferocious battle in the Philippine Revolution.
Rizal’s life is documented through his report-card for Latin at the Ateneo de Municipal (he received second prize,
a humanizing touch for this iconic hero) — as well as through various letters regarding the publication of the Noli Me
Tangere, as well as a stupendous find, the German translation of the novel, never published, and given a tantalizingly
new title “Land of the Monks.”
There are also the architectural plans for the 1886 renovation of Malacanang Palace as well as various mementos
of “El 82”, Don Roman Ongpin’s store that also carried a line of art supplies coveted by an entire generation of ilustrado
painters (Ongpin was arrested by the Spanish twice for hiding bullets in the paint tins).
All these remind us that Filipino art is but one mighty river that carries our memories and histories, all worthy of our
attention and remembrance. We therefore invite you to join us in this celebration of this stupendous collection.
Sincerely,
Jaime Ponce de Leon
Director
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Contents
6
8 - 167
168
169
174
Foreword
Lots 1 - 159
Index
Terms and Conditions
Registration Form
7
León Gallery
FINE ART & ANTIQUES
Property from the chit salud collection
1
Cesar Legaspi (1917-1994)
Mag el la n a nd L a pu-L a p u
si gned a nd d a t ed 1 9 6 2 ( lo w e r le f t)
acryl i c o n p a per
12” x 1 9 1 /2 ” (3 0 c m x 5 0 cm )
P 80,000
Cesar Legaspi has come to be known as one
of the premiere neorealists in Philippine art. Most
popularly known for his rhythmic and brilliant
figurative abstraction, Legaspi’s draughtsmanship
is often overlooked — just as the roots of his
iconic imagery have.
This historically themed piece from 1962 is one of
Legaspi’s earlier creations, at around which time the artist found work as an illustrator for some magazines. The cubist quality of Legaspi’s
neorealist renditions speak of his artistic inclinations, and foretell what his art is to later become. His technical prowess is exemplified by the level
of detail in the piece, his then-stylistic leanings a precursor for the evolution of his cubist style.
This very historical piece of drama was created just a year before Legaspi’s first one man show, and provides excellent insight on Legaspi’s artistry
and evolution.
2
Jan Leeroy C. New (b.1986)
Tuy um
m ix ed m ed ia
H:6 0 ” x L :4 1 ” x W:4 2 ” (1 5 2 c m x 1 0 4 c m x 107 cm)
P 80,000
Provenance:
with Galleria Duemila
As a multi-disciplinary artist, Leeroy New's art straddles and
intersects varying disciplines: theater, film, fashion and visual
arts. His unique ability lies in his being able to shift from one
to another without skipping a beat, and still maintaining his
vision; that of art that is immersive, irreverent, bordering on
the fantastic.
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(a.)
(b.)
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Juvenal Sanso (b.1929)
a.) Unt it le d 1
C a. 198 0
si gned (l o w er r i g h t )
waterco l o r o n p a per
24” x 3 3 ” (6 1 c m x 8 4 cm )
b.) Un t it le d 2
C a. 198 0
24” x 3 3 ” (6 1 c m x 8 4 cm )
P 240,000
In the long-spanning career of the iconic modern Juvenal Sanso, we have seen countless renditions of the artist’s sought after landscapes. Usually
done in acrylic, these well recognized works possess a distinct allure that is Sanso — considered by many as ‘poetic surrealism‘, a term coined for
the genre forged by the artist’s predilections.
This pair of works are lovely examples of the iconic master’s lyrical, surrealist style. Breathtaking and welcoming, these scenic renditions are among
the works that continue to be highly sought after auction pieces.
The Magnificent september auction 2016
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León Gallery
FINE ART & ANTIQUES
4
Elmer Borlongan (b.1967)
U nti tl ed
sig n ed a n d d a ted 2 0 0 2 (lo w er rig h t)
p a stel o n felt p a p er
1 9 ” x 1 2 ” (4 8 c m x 3 0 c m )
P 180,000
Highly revered artist Elmer Borlongan has been known for his powerful
themes, and quirky, yet piercing use of his subjects. The iconic modern
has crafted a powerful brand of social-realism, one that speaks of pain
and injustice.
The life of the downtrodden, the marginalized, are emotionally rendered
by Borlongan, both with sensitivity and as biting commentary; his style
and colors distinct. As in this very evocative piece from 2002, Borlongan
captures the very troubled nature of society’s destitute population.
Property From the vicente lopez collection
5
Justin Nuyda (b.1944)
Seas ca pe
C a. 197 5
si gned (b ot t om)
oil on w ood
17” x 1 5 ” (4 3 c m x 3 8 cm )
P 100,000
Provenance:
Justin “Tiny” Nuyda’s works have, more often than not, charmed audiences with
their allure and dream-like character. It is in Nuyda’s vision that these surrealist
pieces are conceived, and by his brush they come to life with a distinct, refined
grace. Most noted for his peculiarly magical landscapes, Nuyda never fails to
capture the enigmatic charisma of a setting — his brush, masterfully recreating
the essence of a scene he envisions.
This very work by Nuyda is truly a remarkable piece of his Mindscape series
— and furthermore a testament to the quality of his craft.
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Augusto Albor (b.1948)
Fu si o n
signed a n d d a t ed 1 9 8 1 ( lo w e r rig h t)
acryli c on c a n va s
37” x 4 0 1 /2 ” (9 4 c m x 1 0 3 cm )
P 140,000
Augusto Albor has been known for his powerfully captivating abstract works. His use of space and color exhibits a restrained, impassioned
elegance. Combining the chaos of this very composition with elements of neoplasticism, Albor displays his control of the medium, precisely
plotting and layering every addition to the piece to complete the cohesive dynamic of the whole.
An internationally exhibited and renowned painter, Albor has featured in numerous exhibitions and events in the Philippines, USA,
Germany, France, and Japan, to name a few. This very piece is from 1981, the same year Albor participated in the major exhibition; the First
Selection of Philippine Art by the Museum of Philippine Art (MOPA).
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León Gallery
FINE ART & ANTIQUES
Property from the Erlinda enriquez-panlilio collection
7
Dominador Castañeda (1904-1967)
Un ti tl e d
si gned a nd d a t ed 1 9 4 4 ( lo w e r rig h t)
oil on w ood
9” x 13 ” (2 3 c m x 3 3 cm )
P 60,000
Dominador Castañeda has been known to be a close
contemporary of Fernando Amorsolo. It was because
of this that the classical maestro made a conscious effort
to deviate from the prevailing Amorsolo School’s stylistic
leanings.
As opposed to the warm, fiery tones of Amorsolo, Castañeda
pervades his setting with much cooler hues. Landscapes were
the artist’s forte, and this oil on wood riverscape from 1944 is an excellent example of Castañeda’s cooler, more subdued palette — the lack
of intensity making for a more calming atmosphere.
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Jerry Elizalde Navarro (1924-1999)
Ho rs ema n of t he A p o ca l y p s e
si gned a nd d a t ed 1 9 7 2 ( le f t)
20” x 2 6 ” (5 1 c m x 6 6 cm )
P 120,000
Provenance:
A gift from the artist to the present owner
Literature:
Reyes, Cid, J. Elizalde Navarro, The National Museum
of the Philippines, Makati City, 2008, p. 124-125
(illustrated)
The apocalyptic horsemen such as the famous woodcut by
Albrecht Durer is an interpretation where all four horsemen
represent different aspects of the Biblical tribulation.
The Philippines’ own Jerry Elizalde Navarro takes on the
battle between good and evil, the grand metaphors of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The chivalric figure rides the formidable battle-horse clad
in prism-like multifaceted colors, a war machine.
All in all the entire composite figure is a symbol of war and its supplementary production of more technologically advanced weapons of
destruction by warmongers of the world that will not stop on the verge of the apocalypse. Like the malevolent horse, the black backdrop wreaks
havoc with its overwhelming presence.
In Navarro’s painting, the jewel-like colors of this theater of war, the blazing hues and the whirling of spots of color as he prepares for combat
in the sky, land, and sea awakens the viewer to wonder and alarm at the visions that are also enigmatic images of the events in our time.
But on the earth below is the daily war of attrition between sharply contending earthbound forces: the big and small, the powerful and the weak,
and the disinherited. Overall, beauty hovers amid visual tension, given a subject which in the mind’s eye will swoop down to strike with full power.
Versatility of style and a wide range of subject matter have both helped Jerry Elizalde Navarro to gain significant recognition, even before
he became a National Artist.
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Property fromerly in the ambassador and mrs j.v. cruz collection
9
Vicente Manansala (1910-1981)
Nude
signed a n d d a t ed 1 9 7 4 ( u p p e r rig h t)
charcoa l o n p a per
44” x 2 5 ” (1 1 2 c m x 6 4 cm )
P 200,000
The nude form has been the subject of many figural ideals of classical beauty for centuries. The difficulty in translating such onto canvas has
posed quite the quandary for some artists, as there is a degree of complexity in capturing the human anatomy — more so, in doing such so
fluently.
Although known to be a challenging subject, nudes borne from Vicente Manansala’s hand appear to be done rather effortlessly. Potent is
Manansala’s imagery, ever so eloquently capturing his sitter without foregoing his artistic predilections and sensibilities. This very nude work by
Manansala is redolent of a study of sorts; laying focus on the forms borne from the subject, rather than the subject herself. The quasi-academic
piece puts on display Manansala’s technical prowess, while hinting at his cubist approach to the work — shedding light on his stylized technique.
The very translucence of the figure is akin to that of Manansala’s transparent cubism — the planar forms observed, serving as a basis for such
fractal, geometric delineation. A prismatic quality pervades the subject’s composition, adding to the very modern character of the whole. A very
potent cubistic rendition of the classic theme, this work exemplifies Manansala’s deft hand and artistic genius.
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León Gallery
FINE ART & ANTIQUES
10
Napoleon Abueva (b.1930)
Sac red H eart
wood
H:7 5 1 /2 ” x L :1 9 ” x W:8 ” (1 9 2 c m x 4 8 c m x 2 0 c m )
P 700,000
Provenance:
Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner
The youngest to be proclaimed National Artist (at age 46), Napoleon V.
Abueva dominated the field of Philippine sculpture for 50 years, invoking the
tantalizing allusion to the conquering European emperor, after which many
Filipinos assumed he was named. (It was his teacher, a Belgian nun who had
christened him thus, when as a child, he had often misbehaved in school.
The name stuck.) It is beguiling, too, that Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte
himself has been quoted as saying, "If I weren't a conqueror, I would wish
to be a sculptor." And apropos the "Christ" of Abueva, the Emperor
Napoleon, in a strange, discomfiting mixture of hubris and humility, spoke
on the subject: "Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded
empires. But on what have we wrest the creations of our genius? By force.
Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men
would die for him."
Wrote the late art critic Leonidas Benesa, "The Christs are manifestations
of the religious theme that runs through Abueva's development as an artist
and as a whole man. There are enough works to justify a serious study of his
religious imagery, which should include, apart from the Christs, the floating
Moses, The Ten Commandments, and The Kiss of Judas. This is not to imply
that Abueva is a religious artist, if at all, but merely to show that his viewpoint
is not splintered, nor specialist, but all-around."
-Cid Reyes
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11
Oscar Zalameda (1930-2010)
Lovers
oil on c a n va s
30” x 3 6 ” (7 6 c m x 9 1 cm )
P 300,000
Oscar Zalameda is one of the most recognized Filipino artists today. A modernist virtuoso known for his distinct cubism, Zalameda has captured
the hearts of many with his brilliant renditions of rustic Filipino themes.
A multi-award-winning artist, Zalameda’s stylistic genius and jet set lifestyle truly made him a sensation. A very well-travelled Filipino artist, Zalameda’s oeuvre eloquently reflects his international worldview — one borne of experience and taste. With his inviting imagery, he boasts to the world
the beauty of his homeland, its people and locales.
In this very work, we see Zalameda’s take on a young Filipino couple in courtship. Of note are the very bucolic elements laid into the setting, from
the suitor’s bare feet to the lass’ burnay jar. The flower vendor’s jar implies the independence and resilience of the Filipina, her
assiduous nature having been the subject of numerous classical iconography. The suitor’s bare feet also adhere to the humble and
honest nature of the Filipino — winning over the heart of his lady with his charm. A truly stunning genre piece from the iconic modernist.
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León Gallery
FINE ART & ANTIQUES
12
Hand Drawn Plan Of The Ship “Faros”
1893
Plan Fo r The C o n st r uc t io n O f A S h ip
Li nen Pa per a nd In k
45 1/2” x 1 3 ” (1 1 6 c m x 3 3 cm )
P 100,000
Provenance:
Felipe R. Hidalgo Collection
This hand-drawn plan for the construction of the ship ‘Faros’ was made for Carlos de las Heras and signed in Manila by Chief Engineer Brockman
on Dec. 15, 1893 . The ship was designed as a coal-fired steamboat with a propeller shaft and had two masts with sails. It was designed to fly
the Spanish flag.
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Nena Saguil (1924-1994)
Un i ver se S e r ie s
19 1/2” x 2 5 1 /2 ” (5 0 cm x 6 5 cm )
P 300,000
Provenance:
Finale Art File
Pioneering modernist Nena Saguil’s oeuvre has seen quite the stylistic evolution. Her once figurative works of rustic prewar imagery had
transitioned and morphed gradually into the greatly acclaimed abstract compositions that feature her signature swirls and spheres. It was in her
move to Paris that Saguil’s art veered towards this direction artistically, and in such the now iconic modern had met great adulation.
There is a complexity in Saguil’s abstractions, as the audience is left to decipher the objectivity of her composition while the expressive nature
of which concurrently pervades the work as a whole. Such has allowed Saguil to pique her audience’s curiosity, and tap into their emotions
simultaneously — resulting in a magical interplay, induced by the evocative nature of her art.
This piece from 1964 is an exquisite example of Saguil’s abstraction. Meld with her fondness for the use of black, which was typical of Saguil
during this period, her use of various hues of blue gives a sentimentality to the work — completing the evocative piece, in all its captivating allure.
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León Gallery
FINE ART & ANTIQUES
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Alfredo Esquillo Jr. (b.1972)
Hu l i ng P a a la m
mi xed med i a
38” x 2 8 ” (9 7 c m x 7 1 cm )
P 240,000
Provenance:
Hiraya Gallery
Literature:
Ramon N. Villegas & Lisa Guerrero Nakpil, TWO NAVELS: LEON CURATED AUCTION, Leon Gallery, Makati City, 2016, p. 74-76 and
p. 77 (illustrated)
In Esquillo’s interpretation of Jose Rizal, the artist strives for suave dignity. He succeeds in creating an image that is strong yet sensitive. While the
likeness is almost photographic, the leaning posture of the subject lends it an appealing note of informality.
It has been written that National Artist for Historical Literature and academe Carlos Quirino told his students that, “when the Americans instituted
a Commonwealth form of government as the Filipinos’ training for democracy in the first three decades of the twentieth century, they took note
of the absence of a hero among the archipelago — diverse Filipinos, an ingredient needed for nation building and unification, part of their
implementation of a textbook democracy. Hero worship was an American trait that gives a spark to their initiative in thinking and doing big.
The search for a national hero was undertaken: a worthy Filipino hero who could inspire and unite fragmented islanders into a singular great race
into one great new nation.
Jose Rizal was a much accomplished renaissance man who made the Spanish colonial rulers take notice with his liberalism in late 19th century
politics. His symbol: a pen that is mightier than the sword. In the American military-civilian committee’s choosing of Rizal over Bonifacio and
Aguinaldo as the national hero, the Americans conceived of the holistic persona, a political ideologue and a visionary leader.
Esquillo’s Rizal proudly transcends the original intentions of the American colonizers, what with an ennobling phrase written in Spanish the fluid,
gentle rendering of the human portrait, reinforced by the inner strength and fortitude so clearly conveyed by the artist.
Esquillo juxtaposes a vocabulary of imagery throughout his practice- colloquial symbols hybridize and depict the many nuances of Philippine history.
His works are indictments of the ways in which images take on multiple meanings and furthermore examine historical and social identities,
reimagining familiar representations to question how these viewpoints are constructed.
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León Gallery
FINE ART & ANTIQUES
15
Simon Saulog (b.1916)
W i l d F low e r s
oil on c a n va s
25” x 3 5 ” (6 4 c m x 8 9 cm )
P 100,000
In a world of grace, this aphorism is a telling one in
the context of romantic subjects in Philippine art.
But what of this quiet figure which is neither overtly
romantic nor bold, but seemingly lost in its own
sphere of calm? A girl clad in a simple dress
reflectively looks at a lush cluster of plants along
a small creek amid the verdant forest.
Saulog was famous for anecdote painting, a type
of genre painting revolving around a theme or
narrative which he romanticized through the
dramatic pose of his human subjects. Here, the colors are soft, muted, in a palette of earthy tones — even the greens, the red fabric, black,
brown, ochre, white. Far from being sensual, the figure is singularly elegant in the form reduced to the utmost simplicity almost to the point
of pleasant, uncomplicated familiarity.
As if filled with song, the brush in the hands of Saulog partakes of life onto the canvas, without regard to the drudgery of the commonplace.
Mentored by no less than Fernando Amorsolo and Fabian de la Rosa, Simon Saulog was a popular student at the old UP College of Fine
Arts (1934-36). He was a perennial winner in various Art Association of the Philippines (AAP) contests and even competed upon the
encouragement of Fernando Armosolo. As a touching footnote, Fernando Amorsolo asked him to compete during the early years of the
Art Association of the Philippines in memory of the tragic Pablo Amorsolo who was executed for treason by guerillas during World War II.
He won Honorable Mention in 1949 and 1951, Second Prize in 1952 and Purchase Prize in 1958. We can be sure that Pablo Amorsolo
would have been proud of these achievements.
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Eufemio Rasco IV (b.1981)
U nti tl ed
sig n ed a n d d a ted 2 0 0 7 (lo w er rig h t )
o il o n c a n va s
3 0 ” x 3 0 ” (7 6 c m x 7 6 c m )
P 90,000
There is much left to interpretation in the works
of Eufemio Rasco IV. A deft draughtsman, his
hyperrealistic figures bear a hint of frailty and
meekness — along with which, a bit of coping
and tolerance made evident by their body
language and facial expressions.
The stark, gloom-stricken backgrounds are strongly
suggestive — just as the crimson or black sheets
his partially nude subjects are covered with. There
is much agony in Rasco’s renditions; a pain hidden
behind such beauty, hinted at only by the subtleties
incorporated into the composition.
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Embroidery by Adelaida Paterno
Late 1 9t h C e nt ur y
Satin, S i l k, Hu ma n Ha i r, Ve lv e t, G o ld & S ilv e r Th re ad , Ka m a g o n g a n d G la ss
16 1/4” x 2 0 ” (4 1 c m x 5 1 cm )
P 200,000
Provenance:
Adelaida Paterno
Private Collection, Makati City
Needlework was one of the skills taught in the Convent Schools during the Spanish Colonial Period. It was a custom of the time to display
the framed works of the daughters of the house in the sala as a tacit reminder that the ladies of the house were not only educated, but were
accomplished as well.
Embroidery using colored silks on satin was the usual norm, but black and white embroidery that resembled a pen and ink sketches was extremely
rare. This was because the embroidery was made with human hair, usually that of the maker. To create a black and white picture needed not only
an extremely fine needle, but infinite patience and great skill as well.
This particular piece of embroidered satin in a kamagong frame was made by Adelaida Paterno, a sister of Pedro Paterno of Quiapo, and is one
of several that she made during her lifetime. The subject consists of a posy of varicolored flowers embroidered on cream satin. An oval reserve,
outlined in cut-out velvet and gold and silver threads, is embroidered in human hair with a barrio scene replete with bamboos and nipa huts.
A woman carrying a palayok or pot on her head is shown walking on a dirt road.
A butterfly is embroidered near the right hand bottom corner of the frame, as if it is waiting to sip the nectar from the flowers before him.
-Martin I. Tinio, Jr.
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León Gallery
FINE ART & ANTIQUES
(b.)
(a.)
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Nstra. Sra Del Rosario In A Virina
Sto. Domingo De Guzman In A Virina
Tu rn -o f - t he - C e nt ur y
I v ory, Wood , Sa t i n , Gold Th re ad , G o ld , G las s, D ia m o n ds a n d Pea rls
a. ) Sto. Domi n g o De G u zm an I n A Virin a
wi th v i r i na : H: 2 9 1 /4 ” x L : 1 3 1 / 2 ” x L : 1 3 1 / 2 ” ( 7 4 cm x 3 4 c m x 3 4 c m )
i vory: H: 1 3 3 /4 ” x L: 5 ” ( 3 5 cm x 1 3 cm )
b. ) N stra . Sra Del R o sa rio I n A Virin a
i vory: H: 1 3 3 /4 ” x L: 4 1 / 4 ” ( 3 5 cm x 1 1 cm )
P 400,000
Provenance:
Manila
Devotion to the Nuestra Senora del Rosario, Our Lady of the Rosary, grew widespread in Europe after the Catholic Fleet defeated the Turks in the
Battle of Lepanto. Pope Pius V attributed the victory to the intercession of Our Lady and propagated the use of the rosary as an instrument of
prayer.
In the Philippines the defeat of an invading Dutch fleet by the Spaniards in 1600 was attributed to prayers made by the faithful to the Virgin
of the Rosary enshrined in the Sto. Domingo Church in Intramuros. Since then, belief in the efficacy of the rosary became so widespread that
people took to wearing it as part of their daily apparel. Contemporary colonial inventories always mention a rosario con surelicario, a rosary with
its reliquary, made of filigree. This is now called a tamburin necklace, although it was only in the 20th century that it got to be called as such.
The Dominican Order propagated the devotion to the Nstra. Sradel Rosario, so images of the Virgin and St. Dominic are often seen beside each
other on the family altar. This particular statue was made as a companion piece to the Sto. Domingo described above. The Virgin and the Infant
Jesus have ivory heads and hands attached to wooden mannequins that are clothed in gold-embroidered satin robes. Both statues wear
solid gold crowns beautifully embossed and chased with designs usually found in gold peinetas or combs. The Virgin’s crown is set with diamond
chispas or chips. A pair of gold drop earrings, each set with a diamond chip, hangs from the ears of the statue, and on her breast is pinned a
gold rosita or rosette of natural pearls surrounded by six petals.
The statue stands on a completely gilded vase-shaped peana or base that is appliqued with carved and pierced flanges on either side. The top
of the base is carved with an acanthus molding, a dentil molding decorates the waist and the circular foot
is carved with a narrow acanthus molding.
On either side of the peana is an ivory vase on a globular stand that also made of ivory but stained a brown color. A ring of little beads
decorates the top and bottom of the globular body that is carved with a wave-like design composed of very fine hair-thin parallel lines. The
vase was probably meant to hold a miniature posy of cloth or beads flowers that have since disappeared. The vase has a ring of beads carved
around its bottom, while the rest of the body is carved and reticulated with a diaper pattern of quatrefoils. The vase was probably meant to hold
a miniature posy of cloth or beads flowers that have since disappeared.
The statue is encased by a virina or glass dome. After the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 glass domes protecting flower arrangements in
small porcelain vases began to be imported from France. Initially, these flower arrangements were placed on top of center or side tables in the
sala, but eventually, somebody had the bright idea of using them to encase ivory santos clothed in gold-embroidered vestments. The hermetically
sealed domes prevented the air from tarnishing the gold embroidery and the gilding of the bases.
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Onib Olmedo (1937-1996)
Unti tl e d
signed a nd d a t ed 1 9 9 3 ( lo w e r rig h t)
pastel o n fel t pa per
23” x 2 9 ” (5 8 c m x 7 4 cm )
P 100,000
This piece is accompanied by a certificate
issued by Gisella Olmedo - Araneta confirming
the authenticity of this lot
Quite possibly one of the most influential
modernists, Onib Olmedo’s dark, disfigured style
has inspired a whole generation of artists and,
in a way, marked a new era in Philippine art.
In this 1993 work by the modern master, we are
treated to one of his nude renditions. Graphic
is his imagery, more so with the sensual undertone
implied by the facial expression of his subject, and
the hands laid all over her. Unlike in most works
where there is an air of distraught, this piece puts
on display a hint of sexual gratification — Onib’s
subject succumbing to her carnal desires.
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Federico Aguilar Alcuaz (1932-2011)
Nu de
si gned a n d d a t ed 1 9 8 1 ( u p p e r rig h t)
oil on c a nva s
22” x 2 8 ” (5 6 c m x 7 1 cm )
P 300,000
This piece is accompanied by a certificate issued by Mr.
Christian Aguilar confirming the authenticity of this lot
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Leon gallery
There is a genius and whimsy present throughout all of Federico
Aguilar-Alcuaz’ oeuvre. From his abstracts to his ‘Tres Marias’ series,
there is always something subliminally hidden — in figure or context,
Alcuaz’ ability to hide such in plain sight is marvelous.
In this 1981 work, we can observe the interior of Alcuaz’ studio
as he captures his subject in the nude. Set in the background, is a mirrored
image of the rest of the room. Recurring are the elements — as they would
be, having been done in the same studio — from the lamp and mirror to
the paintings and ornaments. Of note is Alcuaz’ use of mirrors, as he has
often used these for subtle imagery. In this work, the mirror is hidden in plain
sight — a cheeky, and clever incorporation; nonetheless genius.
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Romeo Tabuena (1921-2015)
Fami l y
oi l on b oa r d
26” x 2 5 ” (6 6 c m x 6 4 cm )
P 260,000
Romeo Tabuena’s rustic tableaux have time and again been the subject of great acclaim. The iconic modern has crafted with these themes
a fancied aesthetic, one of brilliance and allure, flaunting a whimsical, inviting air.
Noteworthy is Tabuena’s distinctive brand of cubism, drawing inspiration from idyllic Mexico. Both his linear, and planar cubist styles
eloquently capture the culture and scenery of which, as his palette selection and atmosphere provide an emotional undertone that sets
the mood.
This very work is from later in Tabuena’s career, roughly 20 years after the Modern Master’s move to Mexico. Of note is the artist’s stylistic
and thematic evolution, each phase of which worthy of acclaim. Tabuena’s canvasses, which once featured subjects and elements redolent
of Filipino imagery, now feature more Mexican themes — the wistfulness and gloom in some of his preceding works, now replaced with
a more festive vibrance.
Brilliant is the development of Tabuena’s oeuvre; emotionally captivating in the truest sense as each phase bears its own uniqueness and
potency.
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León Gallery
FINE ART & ANTIQUES
22
A Gabaldon Cabinet In Ivory Inlay
2nd Qua r t e r of t he 1 9 th C e n tu r y
Kamagon g , Na r ra a nd I v o ry
H: 79 1/2 ” x L: 5 6 ” x W: 2 3 ” ( 2 0 2 cm x 1 4 2 cm x 5 8 cm)
P 1,000,000
Provenance:
Gapan, (formerly part of Pampanga), now Nueva Ecija
Cabeza Don Mariano Santiago Tinio
Don Casimiro Gonzales Tinio aka Capitan Berong
Bernarda Diaz-Sta. Romana Tinio de Gabaldon
Senen Tinio Gabaldon
Isauro Valera Gabaldon
Juan Melecio Lacson Gabaldon
Furniture made of ebony, locally called kamagong, was only for the very
rich. Aside from the material being very hard to find, the density and
hardness of the wood made it extremely difficult to work with. Artisans
working with kamagong had to sharpen their tools almost every half
hour and a wrong move during carving usually resulted in a chipped
chisel blade. Furthermore, kamagong sawdust was very fine and tended
to get into the pores of the skin, making it itch.
The piece belonged to one of the progenitors of the Tinio Family, the
richest and most landed family in Nueva Ecija. Cabesang Mariano was
a grandson of Juan Tinio, the 1st and only middleman of the Tobacco
Monopoly, the profits from which made the colony financially
independent from Mexico for the first time in 200 years! It passed
on by inheritance to the Gabaldon Family and was formerly in the Casa
Hacienda of the 5,500-hectare Hda. Bertese. Prior to land reform the
estate covered the whole municipality of Quezon, N. Ecija, including the
land occupied by the municipal buildings.
This particular two-door cabinet is made from two kinds of wood. The
body with its rounded front corners is of kamagong, while the crowning
entablature is of narra. The aparador stands on four turned, vase-shaped
feet resembling a spitoon and has a large single drawer at the bottom
with a pair of turned kamagong drawer pulls.
The cabinet has two framed doors, each with a large turned kamagong pull inlaid with an ivory disc. The door panels have a wide, slightly
beveled border surrounding an oblong carved panel with corners in the shape of two quadrants joined together to form a cusp. It has an inner
border of ivory line inlay forming an axe shape at the corners. The ivory inlay is a rare detail, for there are literally only a handful of ivory-inlaid
furniture pieces extant today.
The aparador is crowned by a narra entablature carved with a graceful frieze of acanthus leaves. The finely carved leaves are left in their natural
yellow color, while the background has been ebonized, thereby giving a strong contrast of colors to the piece.
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Leon gallery
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León Gallery
FINE ART & ANTIQUES
23
Ronald Ventura (b.1973)
a.) Un t it le d
signed a n d d a t ed 2 0 0 0 ( lo w e r le f t)
14” x 1 0 ” (3 6 c m x 2 5 cm )
b .) Un t it le d
acryli c on p a per
14” x 1 0 ” (3 6 c m x 2 5 cm )
P 280,000
Provenance:
Drawing Room
(a.)
Revered as the most famous contemporary Filipino artist of today, Ronald
Ventura has crafted a potent, sometimes acerbic brand of art. Known for his
stylized, hyperrealist renditions and piercing themes, Ventura’s imagery and
graphic content have been the subject of great acclaim for many reasons
— both thematic and aesthetic.
In this pair of works from 2000, we can see Ventura’s deft hand at anatomy
on display — the physicality and masculinity of the nude forms rendered
masterfully over a strongly suggestive backdrop. There is no explicit context
to the works, leaving the audience to surmise such from the romanticized
figures and the emotional quality of Ventura’s chosen palette. Though
thematically abstracted, there is a powerful, resonant undertone in each
piece — both, testaments to Ventura’s creative genius.
(b.)
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Leon gallery
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Un ti tl e d
1980’s
acryl i c o n c a n va s
24” x 3 8 ” (6 1 c m x 9 7 cm )
P 300,000
Provenance:
Finale Art File
This work by Juvenal Sanso is surprisingly polychromatic, adding a dimension of complexity.
Sanso’s best known works are densely detailed depictions of nature, which includes rock forms, flora, seacoasts and riverbanks, bushes, lichen and
fishtraps or baklad.
His works spill with the wealth of flora and fauna, such as they are not found in any wayside or seaside but only in the imagination of a poet.
Sanso shares a technique: when working on the spot, he starts with the obvious and works toward abstraction; when working in the studio,
he starts with abstraction and works toward reality. So spills the wealth of his imagination.
Sanso's first art teacher was Alejandro Celis. His father thought that such artistic training would help Juvenal when he takes over the wrought
iron family business. However, Juvenal realized that his true vocation was not in wrought iron but in painting. He persuaded his father to enroll
him at the UP School of Fine Arts, where he studied under such professors as Fernando Amorsolo, Dominador Castaneda and Irineo Miranda.
He held his first one-man show in Paris. In 1957, he made his first local one-man show at the Philippine Art Gallery. He has since held solo
exhibitions in Italy, the United States, England and Mexico and coming back to Manila for occasional shows.
In 2008, after 50 years of living in Paris, he decided to establish a permanent residence in Manila.
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León Gallery
FINE ART & ANTIQUES
25
Rati h ’s Of f e r ing, U b u d B a l i
si gned, t i t l ed a nd d a t e d 1 9 8 9 ( le f t)
acryl i c on c a n va s
35" x 3 1 " (8 9 c m x 8 0 cm )
P 300,000
"Bali just stuns you with color. A very vigorous and free profusion of colors in the Bali palette plays a role in the unfolding of life there. You see
these in the dresses of women, the ceremonial piles of food and flowers for a temple offering, the gilded costumes of dancers and performers
which could put to shame the finery of a peacock and the bird of paradise." Those were the very words written by the late National Artist
J. Elizalde Navarro. The honored title that now naturally precedes his name, bestowed on him posthumously, would have been the farthest
thing from the mind of this great, lamented Filipino artist. For the fact is that fame and fortune, despite his protean talent in the various fields
of painting, sculpture, the graphic arts and design, eluded him when he was alive. At once ironic and providential, it took the magical stimulus
of a foreign place, the virtual paradise of Bali in Indonesia, which unleashed his incredible genius for chromatic excellence. In his book on the artist,
art critic Cid Reyes wrote: "In 1989, Navarro presented in a solo exhibition the result of his first sojourn. It was called 'Bali on My Mind.'
To a Manila audience, which no longer expected any surprises from Navarro, the exhibition was an eye-opener. Many factors contributed to the
excitement of this show. The exoticism of the subject, and the exultation of seeing J. Elizalde Navarro. the artist, in a new, redeeming light."
"Ratih's Offering" is in itself part of the precious legacy offered and bequeathed by National Artist J. Elizalde Navarro to his country.
-Cid Reyes
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Solomon Saprid (1917-2003)
Tal i s man
sig n ed
b ra ss
H:4 8 ” x L :1 7 1 /2 ” x W:1 1 1 /2 ” (1 2 2 c m x 4 4 c m x 29 cm)
P 500,000
Solomon Saprid has worked in a variety of subjects from folklore,
even superstition through the years: flagellants, Bernardo Carpio, the
classic tikbalangs, the winds Amihan and Habagat, and a personified
Talisman.
The jagged treatment of the metal which reflects the sheer physicality
of Saprid’s sculpture always suggests the importance of the process
by which they were made. The thinness of the metal allows for
a continuous connection between and among the various elements
comprising the figure.
His Talisman figure is highly expressive: his elongated, equine head
which may be mistaken for his classic Talisman takes a commanding
stance with his legs spread apart.
Tikbalangs seems to be sensing the environment for friendly or hostile
energies, which is what a proverbial anting-anting is all about.
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León Gallery
FINE ART & ANTIQUES
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Leon gallery
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La Demoise lle D e Ma n i l l e
si gned a n d d a t ed 1 9 9 5 ( lo w e r rig h t)
mi xed m edi a
72” x 3 6 ” (1 8 3 c m x 9 1 cm )
P 700,000
Provenance:
Crucible Gallery
This piece is accompanied by a certificate issued by Gisella Olmedo - Araneta confirming the authenticity of this lot
While the master Fernando Amorsolo romanticized rural life and depicted an idealized representational style of the female nude as ever perfect,
pretty and youthful with classical proportions, Onib Olmedo reveled in a marvelously dark, Baconian, angsty, contorted, unpretty expressionist
depiction of the female body. Olmedo was fascinated by the female form and painted the female nude with the obsession, compulsion and
passion of an art collector. He was a "hoarder" of female beauty in the female nude using his uniquely sensuous, soulful expressionistic rendition
of the woman's body. From the late 1980's up to his demise in 1996, the female nude filled his countless sheets of paper & canvases. Although
his style was described by critics as expressionistic, he co-opted Cubist touches in his interpretation of the human body & still life.
His many nudes attest to the fusion of expressionism & cubist touches. This particular life-size nude in mixed media using pastel on acrylic primed
paper is a fine example of this fusion. The face of the woman here, her pose and mood bear an uncanny resemblance to Pablo Picasso’s
groundbreaking work “Les Demoiselles D’Avignon” (The Women of Avignon Street in Barcelona, Spain). “Les Demoiselles” marks Picasso’s
break from realism and representational art; and foreshadows the future characteristics of Cubism. Art historians call this work of Picasso proto
or pre-Cubist. This work was not just controversial in terms of style, but also in terms of subject and content. Picasso’s subject here were the
prostitutes of the red light district of Barcelona (Avignon Street) in provocative poses with their seductive gaze fixed on the viewer. These women
were not pretty faces like those of his earlier, more classical inspired periods. These faces were inspired by the angular simplicity of African masks
and Iberian sculpture. The painting caused such a stir in Catholic turn of the century Spain that it had to be renamed just to give in to the public’s
cry for decency. The iconoclastic, nonconformist, bohemian Picasso reluctantly gave in.
While Olmedo’s style has always been classified as expressionist, there is no denying his Cubist influence and his admiration for Picasso. Just like
Picasso, Olmedo preferred painting the common people in the decrepit, artsy, bohemian nightlife district of the urban jungle littered with vendors,
musicians and prostitutes. With Olmedo's compassionate eyes and hands, a streetwalker turns into a goddess and enchantress. He finds the
sacred in the ordinary — the profane turned into godly.
Although the face of Olmedo’s nude resembles the faces of the women in “Les Demoiselle D’Avignon”, there are remarkable stylistic
differences. Picasso turns the women’s breast into geometric, angular forms which is the hallmark of Cubism. However, Olmedo retains the
roundness, sensuality and voluptuousness of a woman’s figure which he stylized in his unique expressionistic style. Even the rendering and
shading of Picasso’s figures tend to be flat. Olmedo’s shadings of the nude emphasize the curves through the light reflected on the breasts,
hips and thighs — parts of the female anatomy that define “woman” and parts that evoke eroticism. Picasso deconstructs the entire space
and depicts the women in various angles or points of view simultaneously on a flat space without the benefit of the traditional, classical three
dimensional perspective. Olmedo on the other hand, is stylized but his elements and object are recognizable — the floor, the wall with a painting,
and the “Cubisitc” nude woman shown in several poses playing and flirting with the chair which are simultaneously recorded on the surface.
While Picasso favored the use of Mediterranean earth tones ranging from shades of burnt sienna, yellow ochre, terra cotta, beiges, flesh and rose
brown, Olmedo opts for black and cool opalescent shades of tropical oceanic blue green to foam and sea green combined with rose beige, flesh
and pink. His use of black is very sophisticated and stunning. Black here gives the work both an Oriental touch and an expressionistic touch in the
mold of Francis Bacon. Unlike his contemporary Filipino artists whose works scream, sing and dance with fiesta colors, Olmedo chooses a somber
palate of quiet brooding, stoic pain and murmurings of melancholia.
This life-size Picasso inspired nude painted in 1995 is absolutely mesmerizing. The spontaneous, thick, broad strokes and dashes have reached a
richness that is usually only achieved through the use of oil paint. He is a master and experimenter of the pastel medium. This is one of Olmedo’s
major homage to the woman’s figure and his celebration of the sybaritic, earthly pleasure of gazing and painting the female nude — a pleasure
and art that he indulged in until his final days in 1996. This piece crowns him as the king of the pastel medium and a major modern master of the
female nude in the Philippines.
- Christine Carlos
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León Gallery
FINE ART & ANTIQUES
28
Carte du Canal des Isles Philippines
Anson, Ge or ge , Wa l te r, R i c h a rd
1787
hand-col o r ed c o p p er e n g rav in g
25” x 2 0 ” (6 4 c m x 5 1 cm )
P 80,000
From Lord George Anson's 'Voyage Autour du Monde', the French edition, published by Etienne Andre Philippe de Pretot in France,
as a translation from the English edition “A Chart of the Channel in the Philippine Islands” from 'A Voyage Round the World', published by
Knapton in London.
The map shows the Manila Galleon Route from the entrance of the San Bernadino Strait between Sorsogon (“Bulusan”) and Samar to Manila Bay.
I celebrates the capture from the Spanish of the Manila Galleon “Cavadonga” off Samar by Anson’s ship “Centaur” which was a master stroke.
This travel account with 42 detailed engraved charts and engravings, of which this large map of the Northern Philippines is among the largest, was
immensely popular at that time, accounting for the many translations into different languages and the many subsequent editions. The very useful
information and charts later became the basis for the expeditions of Capt. Cook, among others.
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Fernando Amorsolo (1892-1972)
Rui n s on Riz a l Av e nu e
oil on ma so n i t e boa r d
17” x 2 5 ” (4 3 c m x 6 4 cm )
P 1,600,000
This piece is accompanied by a certificate issued by Mrs. Sylvia Amorsolo-Lazo confirming the authenticity of this lot
The Avenida Rizal was created by Manila City ordinance in 1911 from two streets — Calle Dulumbayan (literally the edge of town) and Calle
Salcedo. It lengthened in the next two decades all the way up to Caloocan and the monument honoring Andres Bonifacio done by Guillermo
Tolentino in the 1930s. It was the city's longest street before the war.
In the 19th century, Dalumbayan appeared in the Spanish language newspaper El Oriente as a road lined wirth nipa huts, The Americans became
the new colonizers and the avenue was center of the city's social life, as can be seen in the cover of the January 1923 American Chamber
of Commerce in the Philippines Journal. Later in the 1920s, the street was to be lined with shops, restaurants such as Tom’s Dixie Kitchen and
movie theaters such as Ideal -which then exclusively featured MGM — “more stars than the galaxy” — in the Santa Cruz plaza end. A 1935 ad in
the Ramon Roces magazine “Graphic” featured Clark Gable and Jean Harlow in “Reckless”, and many Manilenos flocked to the theater coming
from eiter Jones Bridge, Escolta, or Avenida Rizal to see their favorite Hollywood stars. The theaters were designed by the prominent architects
of the day, many of whom would become national Artists.
After the onset of World War II, Amorsolo's typical pastoral scenes were replaced by the depictions of a war-torn Manila, and Avenida Rizal was
among the streets which bore the brunt of destruction. During the Japanese occupation, Amorsolo spent his days at his home near the Japanese
garrison, where he sketched all the bombed-out landmarks of the city from the house's windows or rooftop. The crisp daubs of paint with which
highlight what remains of the architecture are powerfully rendered, as well as suggestions of the rubble and smoke. During and after the war, he
documented the destruction of many landmarks in Manila such as “Intramuros, Destruide Por Los Salvajes Japoneses” and this work, “Ruins on
Rizal Avenue,” from 1945. In 1948, Amorsolo's wartime masterpieces were exhibited at the Malacanang Palace.
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León Gallery
FINE ART & ANTIQUES
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Benedicto Cabrera (b.1942)
Th e I gor ot E x pe r ie nc e
etching (a r t i st ’s pr o of)
12” x 1 0 ” (3 0 c m x 2 5 cm )
P 60,000
Among the many themes that BenCab explored in the 1970s
was the traditionally disadvantaged ‘minorities’ or the ‘cultural
communities’ and mountain tribes which formed part of the
definition of our national identity.
In her book “Protest /Revolutionary Art in the Philippines 1970-1990”
Alice Guillermo describes “The Igorot Experience:”
“As early as 1975, Ben Cabrera was dealing with the subject of the
tribal Filipinos with his discovery of old Filipiniana photographs.“
One example around this time was Igorot Experience, a print
in etching and aquatint.
Working in his montage style of figures within a geometric
framework, he brings together several elements pertinent to his
subject: the soles of two splayed feet, a male tribal dancer, a female
tilling the field and flanked topographical renditions of a field and rice
terrace spiraling around a mountain.
Never having been subjected to the disciplining order of shoes, the
growth and shape of the tribal Filipinos’ feet have been determined by the activities and occupations that required unremitting intimate contact
with the earth and soil. Thus, their toes have spread apart and branched out from the soles like ginger roots. The pads of the toes have been
flattened by long years of traction on the stony ground, the top feet in Cabrera’s work are superimposed on a curving calligraphic band
suggesting movement which may have been associated with the tribal dancer on the left, while the pair below, with the woman bent double
with a tool for digging the ground, are at work in the fields.
Such a work as this does not in itself constitute protest, much less revolutionary art, but what it does, as its title “Igorot Experience” suggests is,
firstly, to bring to the awareness of an urban and majority public the existence of a marginalized Filipino group, and, secondly, to open visual space
for a hitherto politically suppressed group residing only in the periphery of our consciousness.
Property from the collection of the
ossorio family
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Renato Villegas (b.1936)
Tres M ari as
o il o n w o o d
2 0 ” x 3 1 1 /2 ” (5 1 c m x 8 0 c m )
P 30,000
Renato Villegas is among the forgotten modernists
in Philippine Art. Hailing from Negros Occidental,
Villegas had graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts
degree from the University of Santo Tomas.
Multi-award-winning Villegas had been at the forefront
of the art scene, winning several awards in numerous
student and AAP competitions.
Villegas has been featured in numerous group
exhibitions and has done commission works for various
colleges and companies — of note among which,
Victorias Milling in Negros Occidental. 36
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Leon gallery
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Ang Kiukok (1931-2005)
Cockfight
tempera
29” x 2 2 ” (7 4 c m x 5 6 cm )
P 600,000
Provenance:
The cubist fragmentation of the two chickens initiates a sense of sharp, shifting movements, like a flurry of bladelike planes flung outwards in
centrifugal motion against a background of primary blue and red. The technical virtuosity growing out of the speed of execution delights the eye.
Throughout the years, the artist has mastered how to wield a powerful brush.
While the intense red maintains the high emotional temper, the blue tones, modulating from dark to light, have the quality of the metallic, inorganic, inhuman and alienated. The angular jagged forms are balanced by the strongly defined black and red backdrops.
In 1983, Cid Reyes asked the artist: “Are you conscious of doing a Filipino painting?”
Ang Kiukok answered:”No. We are all Orientals. What is more important is to show Oriental feeling.”
The Oriental/Chinese side in Ang Kiukok plays on the stark contrast of bright and dark, or pits red against black amid intense streaked hues of
blue in an antagonistic yin yang relationship. The reds magnify the fact that the scene is a blood sport due to the physical trauma the cocks inflict
on each other.
In Chinese philosophy, yin and yang describe how seemingly opposite or contrary forces may be complementary, interconnected, and
interdependent in the natural world, and how they may give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another. Many tangible dualities (such as
light and dark, fire and water, expanding and contracting) are thought of as physical manifestations of the duality symbolized by yin and yang.
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León Gallery
FINE ART & ANTIQUES
33
Un ti tl e d
oil on c a nva s
36” x 2 4 ” (9 1 c m x 6 1 cm )
P 300,000
This piece is accompanied by a certificate issued by Gisella Olmedo - Araneta confirming the authenticity of this lot
Odd and surreal — understatements in describing the disturbingly potent art of Onib Olmedo. Beyond gloom and melancholy, Olmedo’s
modern renditions depict powerful scenes of distraught and anguish. The disfigurement of his subjects, all powerful thematic elements
that conjure the perturbed air.
This very piece by the influential modernist, however, features a more serene setting — one bereft of human life. The lack of piercing,
acerbic imagery is made up for by the wistful, pensive undercurrent. Ever welcoming is Olmedo’s glum world, inviting us into the scene
to partake in the sorrowful longing.
Bittersweet is the tranquility in Olmedo’s world, as the peacefulness of this morsel of it cannot be without the very sorrow that pervades
the artist’s every canvas.
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Leon gallery
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Fernando Zobel (1924-1984)
Un ti tl e d
C a. 197 0
si gned (l o w er l eft )
oil on c a n va s
24” x 2 4 ” (6 1 c m x 6 1 cm )
P 1,400,000
This piece is accompanied by a certificate issued by Don Rafael Perez-Madero confirming the authenticity of this lot
The moods of the sky derive quite as much from natural conditions as they do from the eye of the beholder. At any given moment, the canopy
above is rich with infinite interpretations. Artists might be expected to observe the sky more meditatively than most people.
This work by Fernando Zobel is a minimalist demonstration of an art of austere delicacy. An abstract “subject” of absolute serenity is conjured by
the pictorial surface.
Slightly off-center floats a negative, or dark, sun rising, brightening the gray mists above and below the horizon.
Like the Chinese painter or Zen artist, Zobel eliminates every superfluous line, such as the line that would define the horizon, even superfluous
evidence of color which may act as an obstructing veil between the work and the viewer.
This work is an evocation of balance that need not depend on symmetry, best enjoyed in perfect quiet.
Purita Kalaw Ledesma told Cid Reyes in 1973: “The delicacy of style, the balance of the restraint and the things unsaid...these things I find
in Zobel’s art, and it moves me.”
Although he settled permanently in Madrid, his works continued to be exhibited at the Luz Gallery. In Spain, Zóbel was a mentor and collector
who aided the careers of Spanish modernist painters including Antonio Lorenzo, Eusebio Sempere, Antonio Saura, Martín Chirino López, and
many others.
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León Gallery
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Ibarra dela Rosa (1943-1998)
Rooftop Sc ene from Pos t O ffi c e
sig n ed a n d d a ted 1 9 7 0 (lo w er left)
o il o n c a n va s
3 0 ” x 3 2 ” (7 6 c m x 8 1 c m )
P 80,000
There is much acclaim in the artistic career of Ibarra
dela Rosa — he was among the pioneering batch
of Dimasalang Artists, an influential group that
possessed an assortment of styles and influences;
he was also among the first batch of Thirteen Artist
Awardees, receiving the award in 1972, amongst
other things.
The creative vision of Ibarra dela Rosa is unique, to
say the least. His palette selection truly does stand
out, transforming scenic landscapes into dream-like
settings. There are noticeable stylistic changes in the
works of dela Rosa from period to period, but ever
present is the whimsy and allure culled from the
vibrance and brilliance pervading the piece.
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Un ti tl e d
oil on c a n va s
48” x 3 6 ” (1 2 2 c m x 9 1 cm )
P 220,000
In the rise of Philippine modernism in the mid-20th century,
numerous artists ventured into abstraction and expressionism.
By the 1970s, only a select few of which had truly stood out
— among which, of most note were Jose Joya, H.R. Ocampo,
and Lee Aguinaldo, to name a few. Augusto Albor was among
the succeeding generation of abstractionists whom added to the
growing modernist trend, but rather than follow his peers and
predecessors, Albor chose a slightly different route.
Deviating from the action painting and experimentation that
was gaining notoriety, Albor’s creations featured a more serene
aesthetic. Crafting his brand of minimalist abstraction, a very
Suprematist quality has been noticed in his work — however,
Albor incorporates the ideology lightly, and does not conform
to such totally.
The internationally renowned sculptor and painter has garnered
great acclaim for his minimalist abstraction — the tranquil works,
rather than overwhelming his audience with impetuous lines and
brash colors, use raw visual elements, which allow the piece to speak
in volumes.
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Leon gallery
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Un ti tl e d
oil on w ood
13” x 2 2 ” (3 3 c m x 5 6 cm )
P 1,600,000
With billowing flame-like colors, Amorsolo’s 1932 painting powerfully exhibits a facility for portraying the fleeting nuances of sundown.
In his 1975 article “Fernando Amorsolo: recurring themes and subtle changes”, Alfredo Roces talks about Amorsolo’s color studies which
include: “...landscapes painted on the spot especially in his earlier years when he was able to travel about more...”
“...having been abroad twice, (Amorsolo) even tried to incorporate some of his impressionist influences in his landscapes applying colors
on the canvas with a minimum of the previous mixing in the palette...”
Amorsolo’s technique and skill capturing the drama of changing light is evident in the still young artist’s spontaneous response to
a sunset over the fishing boats . The voluminous, vertical movement of dark clouds at the left add to the effervescent effects of the
orange horizontal clouds.
Roces adds: “Amorsolo doubtlessly learned much from his mother’s cousin (Don Fabian de la Rosa).” Dela Rosa was also fond
of landscapes, painting in the Marikina area.
In the 1930s he was earning enough from ethereal paintings like this that he gave up commercial art work. His idyllic genre scenes were
a favorite with American officials and visitors in search of tropical exotica.
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León Gallery
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Lao Lianben (b.1948)
Temp or a r y E x it F r om R e a l i ty
si gned (l o w er r i g h t ) date d 2 0 0 8
acryl i c, penc i l , m od el i n g p as te o n ca n va s
56” x 8 2 ” (1 4 2 c m x 8 2 cm )
P 1,000,000
An art critic once remarked that it is not with one’s eyes but with one’s whole being that one looks at a painting. In looking, it is necessary
to be quiet. There is silence in painting. a silence of painting, as in Lao’s “Temporary Exit from Reality” which has to be listened to if one
is to hear its silence.
Then, its discreet silence turns eloquent. Its silence speaks to us but only after we have approached it with our own silence. But what
exactly is this silence? Perhaps, it is the silence that comes from laying down one’s head close to the ground. Like the reclining Buddha (whose
large ears show that he is a fervent listener), one listens not only to one’s heartbeat but to the very pulse of nature. One then hears the wind
whispering through the trees, the leaves touching the ground, a stream murmuring nearby. Who knows? One may even hear
a stone growing.
Paradoxically, to attain this silence, the artist must let himself go, allow himself to be so absorbed in what he is doing that he forgets himself. One
loses oneself in rendering the invisible visible. One strips oneself of what is inessential. To truly appreciate Lao’s silence then, one has to be blessed
with the gift of attention, “that purest and rarest form of generosity.”Only then can one hopefully hear the painting “Temporary Exit from Reality”
imploring you: “You must change your life!”
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Leon gallery
Property FROM the COLLECTION of a very distinguished gentleman
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Fray Manuel Blanco (1778-1845)
6 Vol u m e s of F lor a d e Fi l i p i n a s
1880 Edi t i o n
17” x 1 1 1 /2 ” (4 3 c m x 2 9 cm )
P 300,000
Fray Francisco Manuel Blanco, O.S.A. was a Spaniard who was born in 1778 and who died in Manila in 1845. He joined the Augustinian Order
at the age of 26 and was immediately sent to the Philippine Mission, where he became the parish priest in many towns, notably in Angat, Bulacan
and in San Jose, Batangas, where he designed and built the church.
In 1837 he published in Manila the first edition of ‘Flora de Filipinas,’ his comprehensive work on Philippine Botany. Based on the system of
Linneaus, it described and classified 1,200 plants and gave the vernacular names of each. This edition, as well as the second one published also
in Manila in 1845, did not have any illustrations, but nevertheless made him famous in Europe. In 1880 the Augustinian Order in the Philippines
published a grand edition of the Flora de Filipinas that was printed in Manila by Plana and Cia. It contained additional unedited manuscripts
written by Fray Antonio Llanos and an appendix containing all the new botanical investigations and references in the Philippine Archipelago.
The work was supervised by Fr. Andres Naves and Fr. Celestino Fernandez-Villar, both of whom were Augustinian monks. The edition came in
four volumes of text with some prints accompanied by two volumes containing 463 black and white botanical prints. The engraver of the prints
was M. Perez, a resident of Manila.
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León Gallery
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Barri o S c e ne
oil on m a son i t e boa r d
35 1/2” x 2 2 ” (9 0 c m x 5 6 cm )
P 300,000
Provenance:
Private Collection, USA
Outstanding is the atmosphere in Romeo Tabuena’s scenic renditions. The rustic themes prevalent in Tabuena’s oeuvre possess a very Filipino
characteristic — as in this case, the stilt-houses, Carabaos, and tropical vegetation are all redolent of Tabuena’s homeland.
In this very work from 1962, Tabuena renders his subjects with a hint of gloom — as opposed to the usual whimsically brilliant or soothingly
serene settings. The glum air evokes a touch of distraught, while the familial and sentimental elements are suggestive of context for the piece.
In such, we may surmise a bit of longing felt by the artist, embodied by the melancholic undertone of the work.
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Leon gallery
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Immaculada Concepcion
Earl y 18th Centur y
I v o ry, Ba tic u lin g , Sa tin , G o ld E m b ro id ery a n d J u si
w ith b a se: H:5 4 ” x L :3 8 ” x W:1 6 ” (1 3 4 c m x 9 7 c m x 41 cm)
w ith o u t b a se: H:4 5 ” x L :3 8 ” x W:1 6 ” (1 1 4 c m x 9 7 cm x 41
cm)
P 600,000
Provenance:
Dona Paz Resurreccion Angco Lucero
Maria Beatriz Morales Lucero
One of the four dogmas of the Catholic Church, that of the
Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary was promulgated by Pope
Pius IX in 1854. It held that when she was conceived by St. Joachim
and St. Anne, her parents, she did not have the stain (macula in Latin)
of Original Sin. Being without sin, she was immaculate, hence the
title.
Starting from the Renaissance, many artists tried to show Mary with
this attribute but without much success. It was only when Francisco
Pacheco, the father-in-law of Diego Velazquez, artistically represented
the virgin as floating in heaven with her head surrounded by a halo
of twelve stars did it take hold in Spain. This artistic representation
was imitated by great artists like Zurbaran and Murillo and spread
throughout the world.
Prior to the Dogma the Blessed Virgin was depicted in varicolored
vestments, often in blue and pink. The dogma decreed that,
henceforth, the Virgin be depicted in a white tunic and a blue mantle.
According to old Philippine santeros, these colors were chosen because
the Virgin was naked when she was assumed into heaven and,
to hide her nakedness, the sun and the moon shone brightly on her.
The dazzling whiteness of the sun, coupled with the blue of the moon
fulfilled the verse in the bible about ‘the woman clothed with the
sun’ and is the reason why the sun and the moon often appear
in iconography of the Virgin.
This statue of the Inmaculada was made in the 18th century and
was meant to be a placed in a church altar or used in a religious
procession. It has an ivory face and hands attached to a wooden
mannequin mounted on an oval peana or base carved with stylized
clouds with an octagonal foot. The gilding of the clouds is still the
original gold leaf.
The face of the Virgin has a decidedly oriental cast with a stance
that is both serene yet aristocratic. The image is clothed in
gold-embroidered robes and wears a wig made of jusi or silk.
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León Gallery
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Leon gallery
42
Buen Calubayan (b.1980)
A Seri es O f I nc ompl ete L ands c ape
d a ted 2 0 1 3
o il o n c a n va s
3 6 ” x 7 2 ” (9 1 c m x 1 8 3 c m )
P 600,000
Provenance:
Liongoren Gallery
Literature:
Ramon N. Villegas & Lisa Guerrero Nakpil, TWO NAVELS: LEON
CURATED AUCTION, Leon Gallery, Makati City, 2016, p. 90-91 and
p. 92-93 (illustrated)
As he asserts in a wall length “time chart” that he created in a Quezon City
Gallery about the complex evolution and history of his art, the themes in Buen
Calubayan’s work have developed in many distinct directions and themes.
Issues have been explored in their many aspects in successive versions, though
remaining unchanged in its essentials or it may evolve, in the course of which
the artist himself has gone through successive stages of development.
Calubayan’s run ins with educational and religious institutions such as UST
(which resulted in a court decision), notwithstanding (he was also a key
member of the erstwhile group of protest artists “Kritikal Katoliko”, headed
by Manny Garibay), at the core of his art is an outspoken freedom and
a freshness of spirit that immediately draws one into his vision of inner
tranquility amid life’s harsher episodes.
Even with the use of broad, brooding, and very dark strokes, Calubayan
surprisingly displays a vibrant sense of spontaneity into the painting, which
in turn results in a triptych that creates an astonishing sense of calm in the
viewer. Effervescent red oranges, and aqueous blues peek “behind the
overcast clouds”.
The varying tonalities and overpowering horizontal strokes result in a feeling
of vastness and depth, while at the same time conveying a sense of spirituality
and tranquility.
His use of flat, bright, exhilarating colors and sweeping strokes and
manifestations of texture add to the majestic and surreal nature of the triptych.
Buen Calubayan’s art is a dramatic abstraction of time and place that is deeply
felt. Although he is an astute witness and critic to social and institutional issues,
at the heart of his painting is the meditative Filipino spirit.
Looking beyond the artist’s escape from angst (and scarring memories) one is
made aware of his philosophical and intellectual approaches to inner tranquility.
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León Gallery
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43
Marcel Antonio (b.1965)
Un ti tl e d
oil on c a n va s
24” x 3 0 ” (6 4 c m x 7 6 cm )
P 90,000
The nude in art is an integral part of high
culture, and modern artists have continued
to explore classical themes, but also more
abstract representations, and movement
away from idealization to depict people more
individually.
The moonlit backdrop provides the ideal pretext
for depicting the nude that borders on the unreal,
what with the oddly colored cat at right.
Marcel Antonio is an artist for hybrid narratives,
and none of his images are random or arbitrary.
Amid the otherworldly mauves, oranges and
turquoises defining the background and details,
there is a constant positioning and repositioning to arrive at a virtual web of meaning using layered contexts and shifting points of view.
Balthus’ influence is evident in quite a number of Marcel Antonio’s nude paintings. And while those works make thoughtful references
to the mysterious French artist, “Nude with Mirror” holds its own with a quirky dimension, a sensuous surrealist air all its own.
The mystery of the feline has been a curiosity for art scholars covering a span of time from the ancients to the present day. The patiently
solicitous animal, which carries an image of supple grace and proud bearing, provides contrasting traits to any main subject of a painting
thus holding great intrigue for ages of collectors. No matter how deeply the presence of the cat is questioned, the mystery remains.
Perhaps only the cat itself knows the answer.
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Trees
sig n ed (lo w er rig h t)
wa terc o lo r o n p a p er
2 2 ” x 2 9 ” (5 6 c m x 7 4 c m )
P 200,000
Vicente Manansala’s artistic career is nothing short
of remarkable, at the very least. The iconic cubist
master has treated us to a wide assortment of styles
and media, flaunting his technical mastery with
anything he can create a work of art with.
In the vast oeuvre of Manansala, of note are his
watercolor works. His outstanding use of the medium
is truly a spectacle, as he captures landscapes and such
with such refined composure and restrain. Beyond his
impressive draftsmanship is his masterful eye, as he
puts on display his understanding of light, gracefully
completing the composition in all its simple eloquence.
This painting is from 1974, 4 years after Manansala
was awarded a German grant to study in Zurich.
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Leon gallery
Property from the antonio bantug collection
45
Award Given To Rizal
1874
C ardboa r d a nd In k
4” x 6 1 /2 ” (1 0 c m x 1 7 cm )
P 100,000
Provenance:
Narcisa Rizal
Leoncio Lopez-Rizal
Asuncion Lopez-Rizal Bantug
Leandro Lopez Bantug
This award was given to Jose Rizal by the Ateneo Municipal for being 2nd in his 3rd Year Latin Class on September 19, 1874. Although small
in comparison to today’s award certificates, the beauty of the elaborate printing is something that can be admired today.
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León Gallery
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Ramon Martinez (Late 19th C.)
a.) Unt it le d
reli ef
6 1/2” x 1 0 ” (1 7 c m x 2 5 cm )
(a.)
(b.)
b.) Wa t e r C a r r ie r
reli ef
9” x 7 1 /2 ” (2 3 c m x 1 9 cm )
c.) Lav a nde r a s
reli ef
6 1/2” x 9 1 /2 ” (1 7 c m x 2 4 cm )
d.) Wa t e r C a r r ie r
reli ef
9” x 6 1 /2 ” (2 3 c m x 1 7 cm )
e.) Unt it le d
reli ef
9” x 7” (2 3 c m x 1 8 c m )
(c.)
(d.)
f.) Unt it le d
reli ef
9” x 7” (2 3 c m x 1 8 c m )
P 120,000
Ramon Martinez is known for his reliefs that feature the
bucolic, prewar Philippines. His creations exemplify the
simplicity of the culture and beauty of the scenery of
the era. Reminders of a time long since forgotten.
With his works that feature the “rustic idyll,” Martinez
won the bronze medal at the Universal Exposition held
in St. Louis, Missouri in 1904.
(e.)
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Leon gallery
(f.)
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Pacita Abad (1946-2004)
Crazy A bout You
mi xed med i a
34 1/2” x 2 4 ” (8 8 c m x 6 1 cm )
P 200,000
Provenance:
Estate of the artist
The late Pacita Abad was one artist who utilized color unabashedly and to the fullest. Rare is her canvas that is subdued or stark, where a vivid
explosion of colors always bare apparent. Her predilection for color can be traced, in a way, to her peripatetic life where she traveled the globe to
take in the sights, sounds, cultures, and yes, colors, of the numerous places she visited.
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León Gallery
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48
Round Dining Table and Dining Chairs
1920s
N arra a n d R a t t a n
set of cha i r s: H: 4 0 ” x L : 2 0 ” x W: 1 7 1 / 2 ” ( 1 0 1 cm x 5 1 c m x 4 4 c m )
round t a b l e: H: 3 0 1 /4 ” ( 7 7 cm )
diamete r : 7 7 ” (1 9 6 c m )
P 300,000
Provenance:
Bilibid Workshops
Dr. Agerico B. M. Sison
During the early American Occupation of the Philippines, the Americans sought to make prisoners productive by making them learn a trade,
instead of just idling the day away. They set up livelihood projects that not only kept prisoners busy, but made them earn as well. Among their
most successful endeavors was the making of furniture to supply the needs of government offices and schools. The furniture was so sturdily
made, that business firms clamored to buy them. In fact, some pieces, like the swivel office chair, were copied and used until the 1960s.
Their best works, however, were beautifully carved living, dining, and bedroom suites of furniture made with narra or kamagong. The
workmanship of Bilibid furniture was superb, so much so that they came to be found in the best homes, especially that of high government
officials and were given as gifts for important events like weddings. Bilibid furniture became a status symbol, so much so that, after the war,
a furniture maker named Nuguid started imitating them, but not quite achieving the delicacy and fluidity of the pre-War designs and
workmanship.
This set of dining chairs and table belonged to Dr. Agerico B. M. Sison, a personal friend of Pres. Manuel Quezon and one of the most
respected medical doctors in the country. As Dean of the post-war UP College of Medicine he was largely responsible for academic and physical
rehabilitation of the College of Medicine and the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), where he set up the diabetes and thyroid clinics.
These chairs are of the Estilo Luis Quince, a revival of the Louis XV Style that became popular in Europe in the 3rd quarter of the 19th Century.
It became the rage in the Philippines after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. The style was characterized by curved frames embellished
with elaborate carving of floral and fruit motifs with delicate foliage and intricate details.
The chair stands on two delicate and graceful cabriole legs in front and a pair of square legs slightly curved at the back. An acanthus leaf
whose leaves form a stylized dolphin head spouting a larger acanthus leaf is carved at the knee of the cabriole legs. Moldings carved on the sides
of the legs curl downward to form a beautiful acanthus scrolled foot and continue on to the bow-shaped apron which is carved with another
leaf forming a stylized dolphin head flanked by leafy scrolls.
The seat support is edged with a quarter-round molding, while the seat is caned. The grooved back stile is bowed to follow the circular shape
of the back support. A leaf carved on its upper part supports a crest in the shape of a pierced yoke-shaped crest carved with a central acanthus
leaf flanked by leafy scrolls. The circular backrest is caned in front and at the back.
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Leon gallery
Contrary to belief, the tops of round tables are not cross-sections of large tree trunks, but are cut from planks. When their diameter is very large,
exceeding five or more feet, they are cut from the buttresses that support giant, century-old trees. Large round dining tables with a solid top are
hard to come by, especially now that most Philippine forests have been logged over.
This dining table with a single narra top is of a diameter that is seldom seen. The top is edged with an S-curved ogee molding and rests on a
circular table top support with a narrow half-round molding running around the bottom edge.
The table stands on turned pedestal plinths, a large one at the center and four smaller ones equidistantly placed around it, each with a quarter
round molding around the bottom. The pedestals stand on a reverse quatrefoil base carved with each chamfer carved with a cymatium molding
terminating in a massive lion paw foot.
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León Gallery
FINE ART & ANTIQUES
49
Pal ai s da a n
C a. 196 0
dry bru sh i nk o n p a per
20” x 2 6 ” (5 2 c m x 6 6 cm )
P 160,000
Provenance:
The Trafford Gallery
Sanso comes up with a landscape of his imagination
with grandeur of darkly turreted forms and brooding
space and a unity of strongly diverse angularities that
is not present in his other works.
In the painting, one notes the dark strokes that cut
across the grey sky that occupies more than half
of the pictorial area.
The overall tonality is a darkly subdued one compared
to the glowing chromaticity of his surreal landscapes and seascapes.
About the color black, Sanso was once quoted: “I was slowly working back into color which I did not use for a long time except sparingly, very
sparingly.”
Cid Reyes asked Sanso in 1973: ‘Are you...using your art not only as a medium for personal expression but also as a means of — I can’t find any
other word — escape? An opiate perhaps?’
Sanso answered: ‘That’s a rather harsh way of putting it, but I feel that in general most artists have a hard time adapting to — what? The Reality
of life? I believe that in any artistic creation, there is always an element of neurosis involved. It’s the only bridge we have left: it’s the last refuge
from a world of madness, insanity and despair.’
Born in Catalunya (Catalonia), Spain, Sanso was raised in Manila and schooled at the University of the Philippines. Coincidentally, his dark
turrets in the painting look like silhouettes of Catalonias’ Sagrada Familia. He has been awarded grand prizes in major art competitions in Manila
in the 1950s and welcomed profusely each time he visited Manila in order to do commissioned work, yet he has spent most of his time in Europe,
where, in his Paris base, he claims to relish the humbling competition with other artists.
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Macario Vitalis (1898-1990)
Cruc i fi x i on
sig n ed a n d d a ted 1 9 6 3 (v erso )
o il o n c a n va s
1 2 ” x 9 ” (3 0 c m x 2 3 c m )
P 120,000
Provenance:
The art of Macario Vitalis features a very strong cubist influence. His
ompositions make use of planar elements that had featured an assortment
of colors. Over the years, his palette selection evolved into the more brilliant
and quirky — his style later on veered towards pointillism also.
The famous modernist expatriate has been known to depict scenes of peace
and tranquility, capturing Brittany’s landscapes, coastlines, and even its people.
Although most noted for his fauvist stylistic leanings, his other works featured
a more naturalistic palette.
This very work from 1963 is from a series of religious works Vitalis had
created. Such, features what may be considered as Vitalis’ transition towards
pointillism — just as in other works from this period. Here, we can see Vitalis
slowly distancing from the planar cubism he had come to be known for, as his
figures remain strongly evocative.
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Leon gallery
Property from the Melinda de Leon Collection
51
Fi s h
27” x 2 7 ” (6 9 c m x 6 9 cm )
P 700,000
Exhibited:
Metropolitan Museum of Manila, Ang Kiukok: Selected Works (1960-1990), Manila, 1991
Literature:
Roces, Alfredo, “Kiukok: Deconstructing Despair”, Mandaluyong City, 2000, fig. 258, p. 150 (illustrated)
Remembering the late, mild mannered Ang who always appeared at ease with himself, one could find nothing to suggest a motive for his
menacing creatures. For sure they are not mere gothic shockers if one considers them as part of Ang’s vision of a world in which insecurity
is the central truth, with aggression or hostility lurking behind the outward calm of conventional order.
What better way to jolt us to a heightened awareness of this truth, albeit generalized, than to transform banal creatures into horrifying beasts?
Even those served on the hackneyed dinner table such as his many versions of fishes. They suggest not so much perversion, or disease, as the
brute instinct for survival.
In his chef d'oeuvre, Ang Kiukok seems to be trying to define his role and his influence as an artist in the face of socio-political problems and
violence. He himself stresses that they recur throughout the years since they are always a part of his life, and each time they come up, there is
something new in their interpretation. A large number of his themes appeared in the mid-1960s and 1970s in the context of local upheavals.
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León Gallery
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52
Carab a o w it h F a r m e r
oil on w ood
24” x 3 6 ” (6 1 c m x 9 1 cm )
P 300,000
Provenance:
Most noted for his colorful cubist creations, Tabuena has garnered international acclaim for his works that feature his iconic style. Often putting
on display the tranquility and peacefulness of his settings — despite the seldom seen gloom — Tabuena has created a vast body of work that
elegantly captures the atmosphere of every scene, emphasizing the splendor of each one.
This scene, however, is a bit of an oddity due to the tempestuous air pervading the scene. The leaves sway in the violent wind, as the farmer holds
onto his hat in what appears to be a stormy setting. Excellent is Tabuena’s capturing of his subject, as the stark aesthetic forgoes no emotional
quality — the laborious tread through the storm made felt ever so strongly by the farmer and his companion.
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Leon gallery
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Fernando Amorsolo (1892 - 1972)
Man gingisda
oil on c a n va s
22” x 3 0 ” (5 6 c m x 7 6 cm )
P 2,000,000
Leon Gallery wishes to thank Mrs. Sylvia Amorsolo-Lazo for confirming the authenticity of this lot
For all the quietude of Amorsolo’s temperament, his pictures sing with painterly wit, and exhilaration. Unobtrusive textures, crisp forms
and arbitrary color freshen his imagery. This enables Amorsolo to exploit the full spectrum of glowing colors in his chosen palette — from
palest rose through coral and oranges, to darker shadow blues of the distant mountain — as well as the play of light and shadows…and the
illuminated waves of the jewel green sea that holds everything together.
Amorsolo’s burning vermilion clouds provide the luminous backdrop for a group of fishermen disembarking their catch on a narrow spit
of the beach in the foreground.
Amorsolo painted fishermen who worked outdoors from early morning until sundown. This luminous work, “Mangingisda”, from 1955
follows a long tradition that includes the likes of “Sunset- Return of the fishermen” from 1939 and “Banca” from 1951.
Fernando Amorsolo portrays the sturdy lives of fishermen with nary a hint of belligerence. Just like his famous rice field scenarios, one is
to search in vain for grim and hardened character bearing slavish burdens.
This vibrant work in oil on canvas, depicting the daily rounds of fishermen, is striking in color and composition.
The color treatment is considerably rich. If the viewer would not identify the work as a nighttime scene, one would assume by the
chromatic brightness that it was very early in the daytime or very late in the afternoon.
The beach scene with its soft, yet warm colors, and roughly turbulent surfaces suggest movement of the sea and the light as it unveils the
scene it enfolds. Enhancing these scenes is the presence of the fishermen, but they do not dominate or overwhelm, instead they serve
to give the mind an impression of the vastness of the world through which they move.
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León Gallery
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Carte Hydrographique & Chorographique des Isles Philippines
Pedro Mur illo Ve la r d e /G e o rg e M a u ri c e Lo wi tz
1760
hand-co l or ed c o p p er en g rav in g
41” x 2 5 ” (1 0 4 c m x 6 4 cm )
P 140,000
This coveted 1760 reissue of Murillo Velarde’s 1734 Carta Hydrographica shows the island, contested by China, of Panacot (Scarborough Shoal)
off Zambales. Various shipping routes around and between the islands are indicated as the map also served as a sea chart. On the island of
Mindanao near the Laguna de Mindanao, there is a Spanish inscription “Aqui estuvo S. Franc[isco] Xavier”— St. Francis Xavier was here.” This
bolstered the 18th century fond belief that this “Apostle of the Indies” set foot there. The upper right and lower left corners are enhanced with
decorative cartouches.
Murillo Velarde asked the printer Nicolás de la Cruz de Bagay to engrave both the 1734 and 1760 maps. Murillo Velarde expressed his admiration
for the talent of the Indios (Filipinos) in the arts and crafts in the passage found in the lower left hand corner of the map: “…The Indios [Filipinos]
are well-built, have fine features and are dusky in complexion. They become good writers, painters, sculptors, blacksmiths, goldsmiths,
embroiderers, and sailors.”
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Leon gallery
(with glass )
Property from the Antonio Martino collection
55
Niño Domido Under Glass (Virina)
Mi d dl e t o t he t hir d q u a rte r o f th e 1 9 th c e n tu r y
sati n , gilt silv e r, br a s s , n a ch re s h e l l s , mi rro r g l as s
wi th v i r i na : H: 2 2 ” x L:1 4 1 / 2 ” x L : 9 ” ( 5 6 cm x 3 7 cm x 2 3 c m )
i vory: H: 6 1 /2 ” x L: 2 1 / 2 ” x W: 1 1 / 2 ” ( 1 7 cm x 6 cm x 4 c m )
P 500,000
The child Jesus in his various manifestations was one of the most widely rendered iconographies in the catholic church’s pantheon of sacred
images and the Niño Dormido or sleeping infant Jesus was particularly favored in many households as this image played a central role in the
celebration of Christians.
Among the well-to-do, ivory was a favored material for rendering images of worship, and this particular image of the sleeping infant Jesus is
a very fine example of the superb astistry of local santo carvers. The Niño is very well-proportioned, is anatomically correct and complete and
is masterfully carved. The face as a whole is that of a handsome infant in deep repose. The eyes, not completely shut, show thin slivers of visual
orbs at rest. The nose is finely chiseled and the lips delicately but masculinely rendered. The ears, fingers, and toes are very finely and cleanly
carved. Even the painted hair is rendered in extremely fine strokes of the brush across the wide forehead and sides of the face. The image is
embellished by a simple silk diaper held in place by a wide cincture in gilt silver with embossed and chased floral renditions set with a sapphire
in center.
When the Suez Canal started operations in 1869, European goods became quickly accessible in the local marketplace. Among the things
imported in quantity were blown glass jars or domes that came in varied shapes (round, oval, etc.) and sizes. In the Victorian setting of the late
19th century, these glass domes were used to encase decorative dry arrangements of artificial fruits and flowers as well as stuffed birds and small
animals. The ingenious local santo makers however, found them to be ideal protective covers for the many fragile and delicate santo renditions
they created and embellished with expensive textiles, embroidery, fibers for hair, and precious metals and stones. The virina for the Niño Dormido
has a two-tiered oval base of ebonized wood on top of which are attached two rows of arching metal vines with embossed brass leaves and
floral cutouts. Underneath this double arch is a long oval bottomless railing also of brass leaves to which a seven sided beveled mirror with
a sand-blasted floral sprig is attached on its outermost side. The oval railing has been stuffed with a similar shaped red velvet-covered piece
of foam to form creeping vines with nachre shell flowers and leaves loosely superimposed on the brass arches. The metal and cachre shell foliage
framing the exquisite Niño Dormido gives a rich and pleasing effect to the tableaux.
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Geraldine Javier (b.1970)
Daydre a m
oil on c a nva s
36” x 4 6 ” (9 1 c m x 1 1 7 cm )
P 600,000
Provenance:
A gift from the artist to Kate Torralba
Gerladine Javier thrust into the local art scene representing a new breed of artists steeped in conceptual art; that is, works with strong intellectual
underpinnings as opposed to immediate emotional stimulation.
Her creations are decidedly dark, not always in terms of color palette but also in theme and subject matter. Her canvasses are ghostly and
haunting — unnerving too and possessing a deft handling of the brush — as if to transport us to shadowy realms rife with melancholia and deep
introspection.
While truths can be obtained behind each of her pieces, where cinema and photography are said to be a potent influence, they are not overt: the
artist confesses that they are fleeting, and fade away as soon as the image she intends to convey comes into being.
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H i gh, O v er N agano
sig n ed a n d d a ted 1 9 5 9 (rig h t)
o il o n c a n va s
4 5 ” x 2 8 ” (1 1 4 c m x 7 1 c m )
P 1,200,000
Provenance:
Literature:
Ramon N. Villegas & Lisa Guerrero Nakpil, TWO
NAVELS: LEON CURATED AUCTION, Leon Gallery,
Makati City, 2016, p. 34-35 (illustrated)
In this 1959 work, Navarro merges the human with
the abstract, transcending gender definitions and going
beyond the familiar gamut of human emotions to
the alien and the strange. In the linearity of the
composition he emphasizes the interaction of subject
and space.
In the history of 20th century abstract art in the Philippines,
it was at about the same time when geometric abstraction
came into prominence with the sharp, rectilinear planes
and exquisite draftsmanship of four influential figures:
Luz, Navarro, post Abstract Expressionist Aguinaldo, and
Chabet. Navarro followed a trim cut, compact,
dispassionate visual approach. There is an unmistakable
sense of Japanese “shibui” in how the ethereal white
elements with light blue circles emerge from the shards
of dense, contrasting colors below.
While the upper vertical element alludes to a traditional
Japanese ceremonial headgear, the two “eyes” reflect
how adept Jerry Elizalde Navarro is in imaging masks.
If one looks at enough masks from different cultures,
from Melanesia, Africa, Asia, and specifically in this case,
Nagano Japan, one discovers that there is a profound
equivalence among them.
Masks have been constructed out of nearly every visual
device that humans have learned how to manipulate.
Masks are compelling icons of primal humanity.
Five years before completing this painting, Navarro held
his first one person show at the Philippine Art Gallery
in 1954. Two years earlier, in 1952, Navarro won in the
Art Association of the Philippines, first prize for ‘Baguio’
in the second Watercolor Exhibition.
A versatile artist, being both painter and sculptor,
he taught art at UST and at the Randwick University
in Sydney Australia.
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58
Hand Drawn Maps Of Olongapo & Subic Port In Zambales
1896
Plano De La Nu eva Pob lacio n – O lo n g ap o, Za m b a le s
Li nen Pa per, Ink a n d Wa te rco lo r
26 1/2” x 3 1 ” (6 7 c m x 7 8 cm )
1890s
Topogra p h i c Ha nd Dra w n M a p O f Th e S u b ic Po rt I n Za m b a les
Li nen Pa per, Ink a n d Wa te rco lo r
17” x 2 2 ” (4 3 c m x 5 6 cm )
P 350,000
Provenance:
Manila
Estate of Felipe R. Hidalgo
This hand-drawn map in pen & ink and watercolor on linen paper, dated January 22, 1896 shows the plan for the new town of Olongapo
in Zambales. The plan is signed and sealed by the Chief Engineer of Public Works of the District and the Inspector General in Manila.
This undated topographic hand-drawn map of the Port of Olongapo in Zambales is rendered in pen & ink and watercolor on linen paper.
It is a copy of the original and is signed and sealed by the Inspector General Leopoldo G. de Arboleya.
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Vi ew o f S a n Migue l d e A l l e n d e , G u a n a j u a to , M ex i c o
37” x 4 7 1 /2 ” (9 4 c m x 1 2 1 cm )
P 600,000
Provenance:
Romeo Tabuena’s art has more often than not been filled with rustic imagery. Usually featuring the landscapes and rural scenes of Mexico,
sometimes along with the beauty of its people, culture and festivities, Tabuena’s distinct style of cubism has captivated audiences internationally
— and to nobody’s surprise.
This very work by the well-renowned cubist master, however, is a far cry from that of his usual themes. Rather than the usual bucolic setting,
Tabuena captures a stunning moonlit view of San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico . The composition, ambient as always, pervades the
scene with a magical atmosphere — one of tranquility and wistfulness. The alluring landscape is nothing short of breathtaking.
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Isidro Ancheta (1882-1946)
Un ti tl e d
oil on b oa r d
12 1/2” x 1 7 1 /4 ” (3 2 cm x 4 4 cm )
P 80,000
One of the most outstanding qualities
in the oeuvre of Isidro Ancheta is his ability to
incorporate such a refined level of detail. His
rustic genre scenes feature the picturesque,
prewar Philippines — a long forgotten era
of simplicity and natural beauty.
The degree of intricacy in Ancheta’s
works is a testament to his mastery of his
medium, bringing the tranquil scenes to life
with utmost elegance. His creations boasting
of his graceful hand, and his palette’s tonal
brilliance.
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Soyer dela Fuente
Portrai t of Chona Kas ten
p en c il a n d p a stel o n p a p er
4 0 ” x 3 0 ” (1 0 2 c m x 7 6 c m )
P 100,000
Highlighting the contours of his subject — La Divina herself,
Chona Recto Ysmael Kasten — with soft illumination, Soyer
de la Fuente accentuates her loosely draped, transparent
overdress, what with a personal style, combining sensitive
draftsmanship with pale evocative washes of color that
achieves a glowing luminosity.
The portrait has a certain quietism, what with the subtlety
of modulated harmonies. Soyer dela Fuente dispensed
with the setting entirely, and treated the costume much more
impressionistically. Eliminating unessential details, he gave life
to the subject with the greatest technical economy, his vibrant
brushwork merely suggesting the gossamer qualities of the
subject’s dress rather than defining its details.
The portrait exhibits a spirit of ease and tranquility, expressed
by quality draftsmanship, demonstrating the artist’s talent
for creating a warm, engaging likeness while resisting overt
prettiness. With images like this, spotlighting the restrained
fire and beauty of the subject, de la Fuente created the visual
vocabulary that embodies the words "La Divina."
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Un ti tl e d
C a. 197 0
oil on c a n va s
24” x 3 6 ” (6 1 c m x 9 1 cm )
P 300,000
Provenance:
Private Collection, Pasig City
Adding to the enigmatic feel of Juvenal Sanso is the absence of the human element in his surrealist landscapes. The artist, though, has done
figurative work in the past.
The feeling of desolation, a brooding stillness, the iconographic absence of the human element.
He conceived of nature in terms of color and light, and the atmospheric drama of isolation. Sanso views his subjects from refracted glasses tinted
with the soft and melancholic haze of memory. The result is a technically masterly painting, scenes and images existing as though from a strange
yet familiar world. Their indefinite perspective makes Sanso’s paintings emerge into the viewer’s eye as though from a haze of a distinct dream,
at the edge of a timeless, surrealistic world.
His detailed renditions of rocklike forms, which penetrate through voids of brilliant colors transcend the natural and take on a higher, mysterious
level of reality.
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Man i n Mot ion
oil on c a n va s
34” x 3 4 ” (8 6 c m x 8 6 cm )
P 8,000,000
Provenance:
Acquired directly from the artist by Rony V. Diaz
Literature:
Ramon N. Villegas & Lisa Guerrero Nakpil, TWO NAVELS: LEON CURATED AUCTION, Leon Gallery, Makati City, 2016, p. 70-73
(illustrated)
Images like this work, not merely evoke the anomie of a hyper-mechanical civilization, but also hint at boredom behind the chrome and glitter.
Dehumanized figures — robots — fill up other canvases, their anatomical features replaced by slick mechanical articulations, cylinders, pistons,
valves, wrenches, bolts, etc.
Alienation, the brutalization of man by greed, and the self-centeredness of the ‘me Generation’ aggravated his discomfort.
Cid Reyes asked him in 1983:“Who are the western painters whose works you admire?”
Ang Kiukok: “Picasso, Francis Bacon, Sutherland.”
Cid Reyes: “Among Filipino painters, whom do you admire?”
Ang Kiukok: “None.”
He found in Ricio Lebrun’s tormented men and brutes eloquent correlatives of this brutalization of man‘s spirit by a hyper industrial culture.
The somber mood surpassed only by a prismatic richness and brilliance. Yet, in spite of the color splurge, these abstractions hardly give off
a rainbow happy feeling; richness of color merely accentuates a desperate kind of cheer, a plastic madness.
The side view is chosen to produce a most convincing image of man’s saturnine states of mind and other psychological conditions, the figure
imparts a dynamic quality, representing the universal angst of man, and painted with broad bands of swirling color and dynamic forms, it reduces
the agonized figure to a cyborg like skull in the throes of inner turmoil.
His travel to Europe in 1965 with fellow artist and mentor Vicente Manansala was, for him, the best learning experience that he ever had. In his
exposure to modern art, Picasso’s works proved to be a revelation form him; through which, he discovered what painting was supposed to be and
what he really wanted to achieve as an artist.
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FINE ART & ANTIQUES
Property from the Adrian and teresita cristobal collection
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Romulo Galicano (b.1945)
Un ti tl e d
oil on c a n va s
25” x 2 1 1 /2 ” (6 4 c m x 5 5 cm )
P 160,000
In 1968, Romulo Galicano painted expressionist works, still lifes with spare elements; from 1969 to 1975 he had an impressionist period with
Abellana’s influence predominating. This was also his Dimasalang period, where he worked with fellow artists Emilio Aguilar Cruz, Andres
Cristobal Cruz, Ibarra de la Rosa, and Sofronio Y Mendoza, figurative painters who promoted on the spot painting.
Galicano believes that a painting goes beyond recording reality because it has its own formal relationships.
With his eclectic stylistic borrowings from the French school, allied with his ‘snapshot’ approach to subject matter, Galicano made his presence
felt in the early 1970s with a bold approach to structure and color that came from his study of Impressionists, particularly Monet, and even
Postimpressionists.
The subject’s figure is rendered with a luminosity that is echoed by the polychrome vibrations of the walls and balanced by the strong, bold
patterns on the bed sheet fabrics. Galicano focuses on the effects of light and shade on the human figure.
A May 1974 magazine article makes a glowing description of the then up and coming artist:
“One of Manila’s most sought after painters among the younger crop, Romulo Galicano, who signs himself simply as ‘Romulo’... is rated by some
as the best of the lot....
...Romulo began to be noticed with his first one man exhibition in 1972. The following year, Romulo had his second, at stylish Gallery One.
This was followed in March this year with a sensational sellout in the same premises...
...During the past year or so, Romulo may be passing through a period whose sequel we can only guess at. It is probable, however, that he has
already reached the period of self-discovery and that development rather than change is what’s to follow.
The “influence” of the French Impressionists is so obvious in Romulo that it hardly needs pointing out. What could easily escape notice is that
Romulo could easily escape notice is that Romulo has never seen the works of these painters except in book reproductions...”
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(a.)
(b.)
Property formerly in the don luis araneta collection
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Graciano T. Nepomuceno (1881-1974)
a.) Jes us C hr ist
si gned (u p p er r i g h t )
wood
10” x 8 ” (2 5 c m x 2 0 cm )
b.) Vi r gin Ma r y
si gned (u p p er l eft )
wood
10” x 8 ” (2 5 c m x 2 0 cm )
P 140,000
Provenance:
Don Luis Araneta
Architect Gabriel Formoso, thence by descent
If Isabelo Tampinco was to Juan Luna then it was Graciano Nepomuceno to Fabian de la Rosa.
During the 1900s and in the realm of genre sculpture, Graciano Nepomuceno was among that rarefied group whose artistry became
most sought after. Having honed his craft under such luminaries of the period as painter Miguel Zaragoza and sculptor Eugenio Llerena,
he would take on such important commissions as that for the Malacañang Palace, the Metropolitan Theater, and the Quiapo Church.
It is said that Nepomuceno’s style is one where he’d draw inspiration from paintings and render them into sculptural form.
This pair of reliefs on wood masterfully depict Jesus Christ and Mother Mary — capturing all their raw emotions and grief — pertinent
examples of Nepomuceno’s remarkable skill.
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(a.)
(b.)
66
Justiniano Asunción (1816-1896)
Ti pos de l P a is
19th Cent ur y
5 of 6 a r e si g n ed (l o w e r rig h t)
each: 1 1 1 /2 ” x 8 ” (2 9 cm x 2 0 cm )
P 1,200,000
Provenance:
Private Collection, London
These costumed figures almost look like the works of Damian Domingo, but they were painted by his prize pupil in the Academia de Dibujo,
Justiniano Asuncion y Molo (1816-1896).
In the middle of the 19th century, the indigenous fashions of various peoples in the Philippines and nearby countries were featured in such
periodicals as the Manila and Madrid based newspaper, El Oriente, with the caption "Tipos del Pais."
The early 19th century artist Damian Domingo in collaboration with Rafael Daniel Baboom, a collector of Philippine costumes, also popularized the
subject with his watercolor album "Tipos del Pais."
Justiniano Asuncion was a scion of a prolific family, both in an artistic and in a genetic sense, of Sta Cruz, Manila. Three of his brothers were also
painters: Antonio (1794-1849), who was called “Fray Angelico Filipino,” Mariano (194-1849), another religious painter who in his old age was
the “doyen of Filipino painters” and Ambrosio (1808-1890). The older brothers may have developed their talent under their townmate Faustino
Quiotan, and the younger ones under Domingo. Two other brothers, Manuel (1792-1863) and Leoncio (1813-88), were sculptors who learned
their profession from anonymous imagen makers.
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(c.)
(d.)
(e.)
(f.)
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Property from the j. antonio araneta collection
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Diosdado Lorenzo (1906-1983)
B arri o S c e ne w it h C a ra b a o s
oi l on c a nva s
24” x 4 8 ” (6 1 c m x 1 2 2 cm )
P 200,000
Diosdado Lorenzo’s oeuvre is riddled with works that boast of the
Philippines’ rustic splendor. The renowned impressionist has time and
again captured the lush, natural beauty of the Philippines and the
pulchritude of its people with his distinct modernist touch.
Lorenzo’s potent use of yellow pervades this very work from 1966,
coalescing with the cool blues and earthy browns to concoct a very
humble, nostalgic air. Done in thick impasto strokes, Lorenzo captures
the populace and livestock of the scene in superb detail, elegantly
completing the composition.
A pioneering modernist, Diosdado was among the Thirteen Moderns
of Philippine Art.
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Tam Austria (b.1943)
M oth e r a nd C hild
signed (u p p er r i g h t )
oi l on c a nva s
24” x 3 0 ” (6 1 c m x 7 6 cm )
P 140,000
Aside from the folk traditions such as fiestas and pageants
which found their way in the works of Tam Austria, one
theme Austria shares with the Laguna de Bay artists is the cult
of woman, which is part of native folk romanticism.
The nuanced monochromes would be balanced by Austria’s
very astute sense of composition. Austria’s monochromatic
rendering usually alternates flat and light-dark patterns, figures and objects are contoured softly and delicately.
Delicate lines accent the broad areas of color, which, in unison,
strengthen the image of a loving mother and her child.
Indeed, very few artists have interpreted the maternal
relationship as affectionately as Tam Austria.
Austria’s women-figures, often depicted with infants (a folk reinvention of the Madonna and Child), are idealized portraits of the Filipino woman.
Garbed in folk costumes, the subtle depiction of the facial details combined with the contours of flesh produce the impression of a realistic
individual, contrasting sharply with his more piquantly angular women amid sinuous details and backdrops in most other works.
Tam Austria’s later women would be sinewy, slender, elegant and graceful. His are idealized portraits without any of the cult of the ugly fostered
by high realism or postmodernism. Tam’s Mother and Child won fourth place in the 1982 Mobil Art Foundation.
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Edwin Wilwayco (b.1952)
Un ti tl e d
oil on c a n va s
46” x 3 7 1 /2 ” (1 1 7 c m x 9 5 cm )
P 200,000
Provenance
For Edwin Wilwayco, abstract expressionist par excellence, painting stands as a form of discovery where a whole plethora of possibilities can
present itself when one is faced with a blank canvas and a paintbrush. This is not to say of course that his art is all but random and accidental.
Rather, there is a controlled and calculated manner to it, just as he allows his imagination and his instincts take control.
"Color is the pulsebeat of Wilwayco's art", someone once wrote. And so indeed, color, in this case a fiery red, does keep his paintings alive, vivid,
and pulsating. Just as this early work from 1974 brings to fore.
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Qui apo
oil on c a n va s
72” x 9 6 ” (1 8 3 c m x 2 4 4 cm )
P 4,000,000
Provenance:
Literature:
Ramon N. Villegas & Lisa Guerrero Nakpil, TWO NAVELS: LEON CURATED AUCTION, Leon Gallery, Makati City, 2016, p. 84 and p.
85-87 (illustrated)
If virtually all human activity has become grist for the artist’s mill, what they choose to commemorate and venerate has broadened the
horizons of Filipino art.
In an effort to portray the paradox of urban life, the question of how people cope with the daily grind leads the artist to peer into the
collective spiritual resource and the religious rites of the walking dead amid the impersonally busy streets of the bowels of Manila.
Patrick Flores wrote in the May/June issue of Asian Art News about “...his (Borlongan’s) expressionist paintings of the city and its inhabitants
who are weighed down by hemorrhaging modernity. On careful sifting, we may observe a recurrence of motifs and tropes... the bald head,
distorted flesh...” Religion has become a lifeline. “Nazareno” is clearly presented to the audience as a solemn, if feral, visual celebration of
the extremes of Filipino Catholic religiosity. Many devotees relate their poverty and daily struggles to the Nazareno as represented by the
image. The work achieves its resonance by effectively expressing the tug of war between alienation and acceptance of urban customs and
traditions experienced, those practices which blend not only the East and West in the Filipino psyche, but the ancient and modern as well.
Elmer Borlongan does directly reference Filipino culture, but it is the culture of today, rather than that of colonial or pre-colonial times.
The Black Nazarene is the iconic statue of the Christ carved by an anonymous Mexican artist sometime in the 17th century, depicting the
cross bearing “Nazareno” on his way to his death on Calvary. Religious veneration of the Black Nazarene is rooted among the masses who
identify themselves with the agony of Christ which the statue depicts.
The statue is regarded as miraculous by many Catholics, and is enshrined in the Juan Nakpil designed Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene
in Quiapo. While there are three annual dates when the statue is brought out of its shrine for the devotees, it is the procession on the 9th
of January that reenacts the image’s ” Traslación” or passage in 1787 from its original location in what is now Rizal Park to the Minor Basilica.
The Traslación procession draws millions of devotees who endure the forces of brawn and sweat anywhere from 14 to 20 hours.
Some of the themes explored in his previous shows in the 1990s are continued and developed to a new level.
In a 1993 collaboration with the group Salingpusa, their mural Vox Populi Vox Dei coincided with the much hyped Papal visit of that year.
Their major work, The Second Coming criticized the Papal visit as a show of power of the conservative Institutional Church.
His Gabay (Guide) is a hauntingly surreal scene of a person driving with an alarmingly life like, life size sculpture of an armless Christ in the
passenger seat, a rosary hanging from the rear view mirror.
The people carrying the Nazareno would be no different from his other earlier works from the mid-1990s such as Kubli (Hide) and Kumot
(Blanket) which depict derelict city habitués in a style that recalls that of the Norwegian Expressionist Edvard Munch.
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71
Hand Drawn Map Of Mariveles Port In Bataan
1878
Coast An d Geo d et i c M a p O f M ariv e le s Po rt
L i nen Pa p er, Ink a n d Wate rco lo r
25 1/2” x 4 1 ” (6 5 c m x 1 0 4 cm )
P 100,000
Provenance:
Manila
Estate of Felipe R. Hidalgo
This hand-drawn coast and geodetic map for the proposed Mariveles Port in Bataan shows the site of the port facilities as well as the soundings
taken at different depthsof the small bays of Quinanahuan, Nasuy and Darajican. The plan, rendered in pen & ink and watercolor on linen paper,
was signed and sealed by Chief Engineer Eduardo Peruvascen on March 7, 1878.
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Jose Tence Ruiz (b.1956)
B l u -Sk r e e n Ba llr oom : D o ñ a G u e rre ro
signed a nd d a t ed 2 0 0 9 ( b o tto m )
oi l on pr i n t ed l i n en
72” x 4 8 ” (1 8 3 c m x 1 2 2 cm )
P 140,000
Alice Guillermo has written that “His imagery, which plays
on contrasts and differences, harnesses many cultural
resources...”
“Jose Tence Ruiz’ artistic discourse is marked by a rich
polyphonic texture that operates on several registers...In
his iconic field, he plays micro with macro; the details of his
paintings proliferate in semiotic swarms in which significations, like the word games in which he revels, are continually
fluid and shifting, albeit still within a horizon of meaning,”
In mimicking social ceremonies and critiquing them
with a driving sense of humor, Tence Ruiz lays bare the
pretentious protocols that have been made to appear natural
by the patriarchy and class differences.
Tence Ruiz’ social angst-ridden crusade has remained
consistent throughout the decades, but it is his use
of different media — painting and sculpture, even
performance art on occasion — which kept his fight
alive and kicking, and the public more curious than ever.
Jose “Tence” Ruiz views life as full of absurdities.
The artist was once quoted: “Have you ever been to
a cotillion? Parang ballroom ano? Who can actually have
a cotillion in our setting?”
For Tence Ruiz, a cotillion is more than just a party
of the pompous. It is a gathering of the mighty,
in whatever means they got up there.
“I find there is a particular class of cotillion goers that is
almost absurdly powerful… in power to the detriment of all
of us,” he said.
In the same vein that the “blu-skreen: (blue screen) in the title comes with comparisons to “homogenized blockbuster cinematic excess, it’s
reverse is a blank backdrop that brings unto itself a harsh critique as easily as the high camp of the promised scenarios promised by politicians and
their ilk.
Thus, women are painted in steampunk baroque fashion.
The woman in “Kotillion: Doña Guerrera”, instead of wearing a simple gown, she wears something that resembles a gothic ornament
on steroids. Her Marie Antoinette-like pompadoured majesty carries a lute while she seems to float on a flaming ballroom floor.
The artist was also once quoted: “Kaya gusto ko ‘yung cotillion eh. I love the idea of the cotillion because it’s so visually fascinating...It’s also so
absurd (he whispered).”
And with the Kotillion series, Tence says he is only showing the reality in life that he sees.
“That’s the way things are, those who are in power, they’re powerful. That’s that. It may not be easy to accept but you have your art to whine
about it as John McCain used to say,” he said.
Like much hyped fashion models sashaying the ramp with impossibly high heels, knees ready to stumble anytime, his ditsy Doñas dance
to a misstepped waltz, the same missteps covered by the garish density of the chunkily bizarre gowns.
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FINE ART & ANTIQUES
(a.)
(b.)
73
a.) Unt it le d 1
penci l o n p a per
8 1/2” x 1 1 ” (2 2 c m x 2 8 cm )
b.) Un t it le d 2
penci l o n p a per
8 1/2” x 1 1 ” (2 2 c m x 2 8 cm )
c.) Un t it le d 3
penci l o n p a per
11” x 8 1 /2 ” (2 8 c m x 2 2 cm )
d.) Un t it le d 4
penci l o n p a per
12” x 9 ” (3 0 c m x 2 3 cm )
(c.)
P 120,000
These pieces are accompanied by certificates issued by
Mrs. Sylvia Amorsolo-Lazo confirming the authenticity of
this lot
Arguably the most famous Filipino Artist, Fernando Amorsolo has
been known for his deft hand with nearly any media. His iconic
backlighting technique remains a spectacle until this very day.
Amorsolo’s creative process in composing his genre works consists
a lot of his artistic direction. Much like you would a stage play,
Amorsolo’s imagery is structured very dramatically — hinting at
themes and undertones with his brilliant semiotics.
This set of sketches from the early to late 50s are some of his
studies. Amorsolo created these to conceptualize and compose
his subjects’ very nature — each character playing a role in the
narrative that has become his oeuvre.
(d.)
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Arturo Luz (b.1926)
Temp l e s, Ra ja st a n
si gned (l o w er l eft ) da t e d 2 0 0 6
24” x 3 4 ” (6 1 c m x 8 6 cm )
P 200,000
Provenance:
Acquired directly from the artist's daughter, Luisa Luz Lansigan, USA
It was in Arturo Luz' travels around Asia that he found inspiration to create his White Temples series. Incorporating into his work the very
geometric mode of abstraction he has been known for, Luz' creates stunning landscapes that feature some of the elaborate architecture in his
own stylized rendition.
This very work drew inspiration from Rajasthan, the largest state in India. Rajasthan directly translates to 'Land of the Kings' — and deservingly
so, as the sheer grandeur and eloquence of the palatial structures of the state stand as a testament to such majesty.
This piece, ever so striking and enchanting, could very well be of the Rambagh Palace in Rajasthan.
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Ivory Calvario In A Virina
Late 1 9t h C e nt ur y
I v ory, K a ma g on g , La n i t e, S ilv e r, G o ld , Wh ite S a p p h ire s, J u si a n d G la ss
i vory cross: H: 1 3 3 /4 ” x L : 5 ” ( 3 5 cm x 1 3 cm )
P 300,000
Provenance:
Bulacan
Every house during the colonial period had an altar with a cross, with the
more affluent households having crucifixes with other figures forming a
tableau of the crucifixion. Calvary scenes in general contained an image of
the crucified Christ, the Sorrowful Mother or Dolorosa, St. John the Evangelist
and Mary Magdalene. The last is usually portrayed in a kneeling posture embracing
the cross.
After the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 glass domes protecting flower
arrangements in small porcelain vases began to be imported from France. Initially,
these flower arrangements were placed on top of center or side tables in the sala,
but eventually, somebody had the bright idea of using them to encase ivory santos
clothed in gold-embroidered vestments. The hermetically sealed domes prevented
the air from tarnishing the gold embroidery and the gilding of the bases.
This ivory Calvary scene in a virina is one commonly found in the house of an upper
class family. Its kamagong cross is bordered by line inlay
of lanite and is mounted on a simulated rocky base carved from baticuling. The
cross is ornamented with embossed and chased gold and silver metalwork executed
by a silversmith consisting of: rays or rayos, terminals called cantoneras, an INRI, a sun
in splendor and a skull with crossed bones. The silver rays surround a gold applique
embossed and chased with a symmetrical design of meandering scrolls terminating
with leaves and flowers bordered on the outer edge by stylized clouds typical of the
late-19th century. The golden cantoneras, embossed and chased with an acanthus
frieze, is edged with multiple moldings and terminated by a finial in the shape of
a granada or pomegranate, a fruit symbolic of the Catholic Church. The INRI is
embossed and chased on a golden plate. The sun in splendor has a glass disc
with a face painted behind glass. A gold skull and crossed bones, an allusion
to Golgotha, ‘The Place of Skulls’, where Christ was crucified, is attached to
the lower part of the cross.
The ivory corpus is attached to the cross by three golden nails set with a
white sapphire and has a perizonium or loincloth, locally called a bahag
or tapis, a crown of thorns and trespotencias, the three rays emanating from
the pate that symbolize Christ’s potencies or power, all executed in solid gold. The tapis, gathered in fringed folds on the left in a stylized knot,
is ornamented with a large, highly embossed peony surrounded by a leafy scroll. The corpus has a wig with a golden crown of thorns and
trespotencias.
The figures of the Dolorosa, St. Mary Magdalen and St. John the Evangelist all have ivory heads and hands attached to mannequins clothed
in satin robes. The three figures all have wigs and are no longer wearing their original, gold-embroidered vestments. Their clothes must have
been replaced a few decades ago, as their simplicity and quality are not keeping with the period of the statues.
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76
Ex pans e i n T-SM
o il o n c a n va s
4 2 ” x 3 2 ” (1 0 7 c m x 8 1 c m )
P 120,000
Internationally renowned painter and sculptor Augusto Albor has come
to be known as one of the premiere abstractionists in the Philippine Art
scene. An abstract minimalist, Albor’s aesthetic features a unique use of
space. Although minimalistic in his approach, his use of paint in his works
is all but sparse.
Albor’s artistic leanings take from that of Suprematism and Neoplasticism,
but with much less rigidness in execution. Such, overall, has allowed
Albor’s art to speak more freely — welcoming his audience to partake
in his alluring brew of expression and restrain.
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Romulo Olazo (1934-2015)
Di apha nous 572
signed a n d d a t ed 2 0 0 5 ( b o tto m )
oi l on c a n va s
20” x 2 0 ” (5 1 c m x 5 1 cm )
P 100,000
Provenance:
This work from 2005 is among his Diaphanous creations.
The translucent layers of white, emanating their very
fluorescent brilliance, come together to create an alluring
interplay of gradients and contrasts. The result is a lyrical
and evocative play on light — weightlessness in the
buoyance.
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Joven Mansit (b.1984)
Pi ri n g
oi l on c a n va s w i t h em u ls io n tra n s f e r d e tail
36” x 2 4 ” (9 1 c m x 6 1 cm )
P 300,000
Provenance:
Boston Gallery
Literature:
(illustrated)
Sepia toned is the canvas of Joven Mansit, reminiscent of the turn-of-the-century photographs that appear in curio shops and in many antiquarian
collections.
In fact, at first glance, his works can easily be mistaken for enlarged photos, which speaks volumes about his artistic skill and his exacting attention
to detail. But beyond the surface, Mansit sets out to re-configure their histography and appropriates them to suit his narrative: his pointed take
on colonialism and national identity.
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79
Un ti tl e d
C a. 196 6
si gned (l ow er r i g h t )
oil on c a nva s
24” x 1 9 ” (9 1 c m x 4 8 cm )
P 160,000
In the lengthy career of Juvenal Sanso, his stylistic development has been one of great reception. From his more somber, earlier renditions
of society’s destitute population, to his black period and, thereafter, his poetic surrealism, Sanso has time and again met great adulation for
his artistry.
This very piece is among the artist’s more poetic works. The stylized flora in the piece, brilliantly rendered to a surrealistic degree, exhibits
a very refined and intricate level of detail. Sanso’s technical prowess has allowed him to craft these vibrant, atmospheric compositions with
ease — capturing every bit of intricacy and emotion.
A multi-award winning artist, Juvenal Sanso has astounded audiences all over the world with his works. The Spanish-born artist has
brought great pride to the Philippines, so much so that he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Merit for his visual art in 2006.
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Property From the salvador f. bernal collection
80
Cruc i fi x i on
sig n ed a n d d a ted 1 9 9 3 (u p p er left)
o il o n c a n va s
4 8 ” x 1 2 ” (1 2 2 c m x 3 0 c m )
P 2,000,000
Provenance:
Acquired directly from the artist by Salvador F. Bernal (National
Artist for Theater and Design, 2003)
Acquired from the above by the present owner
Literature:
CURATED AUCTION, Leon Gallery, Makati City, 2016, p. 64-69
(illustrated)
This unique and powerful work immediately stuns the viewer with
a totally-stripped Christ with his shoulder blades nailed to the cross,
hanging like a slab of meat for sale. The distinctive Ang Kiukok trademarks
are here — the sharp as barbed-wire crown of thorns, the broken, bloodied
body slumped in anguished suffering.
Today, this atrocious view immediately brings to mind the abandoned bodies
of suspected drug addicts and drug pushers gunned down for “resisting
arrest” by law enforcers and vigilantes. Truly, the art of Kiukok, who
intensely immersed himself in the frustrations, pains, and trials of our
“kababayan sa mga laylayan” remains alive as an urgent wake-up call for
us to respond to their plight.
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Jose Joya (1931-1995)
Moth e r a nd C hildr e n
pastel o n p a per
20” x 1 3 ” (5 1 c m x 3 3 cm )
P 220,000
This piece is accompanied by a certificate issued by Mrs. Josefa
Joya-Baldovino confirming the authenticity of this lot
1991’s “Mother and Children” is one of Joya’s occasional forays into his
figurative cum genre roots. Joya’s art began quite conventionally with
his studies at the University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts. His
approach — a quiet, homegrown yet refined evocation of motherhood,
contrasting with his powerful abstract impastos of the past.
At the UP he was exposed to the paintings of Fernando Amorsolo.
Among his other early influences were Vicente Manansala and Anita
Magsaysay-Ho.
His first works were mostly representational.
Joya was quoted in 1978: “The figure- the Filipino people in particular,
remains central to my thinking. I do not claim to explode the myth
about abstract artists as being escapists and with marginal drawing skills.
Neither will I also attempt their defense.... figure drawings occupy me
privately in noting an imaginary visual diary.”
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U nti tl ed
wa terc o lo r o n p a p er
2 0 ” x 1 4 ” (5 1 c m x 3 6 c m )
P 180,000
A recognized master of Figurative Expressionism, the characters that
populate Borlongan’s canvas are distinct and remarkable: out of proportion
and almost disfigured.
The tableaus that Borlongan depict are ironic yet poignant depictions
of the struggles of urban living; or, he delves into religious themes,
mostly that of Catholicism. His having moved in 1998 to Zambales, the
hometown of his artist-wife, has inevitably changed his worldview as well
as his subjects, where rural folk as well as folk themes now inspire him,
such as can be seen in this watercolor on paper piece from 2014.
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Galo Ocampo (1913-1985)
Fl agel a nt e s
oil on c a n va s
17” x 1 3 ” (4 3 c m x 3 3 cm )
P 200,000
Provenance:
Crucible Gallery
.
World War II left a lasting mark on Ocampo’s art, and the danger he went through as a guerilla and the holocaust he witnessed would haunt
him after the war. The imagery of his ‘Flagellants’ series, to which this painting belongs, evokes the suffering and terror of the war years. Central
to this sieries is the Christ figure, crowned with thorns and face covered by the flagellant’s veil, while around him are iconic reminders of the Filipino
countryside.
As in a dream, the hooded flagellant is not in a natural setting of country roads or city streets; instead he is in a symbolic landscape highlighted by
the half buried Cagsawa church.
The flagellant symbolizes sinful human beings in search of salvation in a ritual of purification — and water is the purifying element after the
horrors of war — or pilgrims in quest of the truth. On another plane, the blue green depths in which the flagellants move signify the submerged
subconscious’ realm which they probe in order to gain understanding of themselves.
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Twi n s
48” x 4 8 ” (1 2 2 c m x 1 2 2 cm )
P 7,000,000
Literature:
and p. 83 (illustrated)
A painter of bravura and dynamic penetration is Benedicto Cabrera who signs his work "Bencab". His women are stylized versions of the
proverbial town madwoman, often enriched by being covered in bold, voluminous garbs. That Bencab is a master of line is amply demonstrated
by the visual harmony he creates with the subjects.
A sense of order and structure underlies the seeming spontaneity of the composition featuring the women’s ethereal garments. The faces are
barely hidden by the fabrics and presents the pair at their most emphatic. Although Bencab honed his focus in drapery to the near exclusion
of the two figures, the dynamics of the human bodies remain the primary vessels for their essential appreciation.
Quoting the book “BENCAB” by Krip Yuson and Cid Reyes: “There is no more convincing proof of Bencab’s classicizing temper and abstracting
eye than his enduring predilection for the drama of drapery.” Even with his frequent references to the classicist dancer Isadora Duncan, the two
women in “Twins” are opposite the classical forms, they convey untrammelled freedom in their literally veiled dynamics. Almost all of Bencab’s
themes for his draped women in the 1990s — from his Mysterious Women to his Kimono Clad women — come to play in this composition.
The two figures are gestural in a frenzied, contrapuntal play of broad brushwork to emphasize the swishing movements of drapery that always
engaged the artist. Bencab always favored using few colors rather than many; deep reds make for the backdrop of the painting. Bencab’s works
assert that fewer colors in a painting gave the art greater force and meaning.
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(e.)
(a.)
(f.)
Property from the j. antonio araneta collection
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Lot of 6
(b.)
Artist Unknown
a.) Seas c ape
sig n ed a n d d a ted (lo w er rig h t)
o il o n w o o d
6 ” x 8 1 /2 ” (1 5 c m x 2 2 c m )
b.) U nti tl ed
o il o n w o o d
6 ” x 8 ” (1 5 c m x 2 0 c m )
Dominador Castañeda (1904 - 1967)
c .) Trees
sig n ed a n d d a ted (lo w er left)
o il o n c a n va s
8 ” x 1 2 ” (2 0 c m x 3 0 c m )
(c.)
d.) U nti tl ed
sig n ed a n d d a ted (lo w er left)
o il o n w o o d
8 ” x 1 2 ” (2 0 c m x 3 0 c m )
Elias Laxa (1904-1990)
e.) Kubo
o il o n c a n va s
1 1 ” x 1 4 ” (2 8 c m x 3 6 c m )
Dr. Toribio Herrera (1888-1968)
f.) L av andera
sig n ed a n d d a ted (lo w er rig h t)
o il o n m a so n ite b o a rd
9 ” x 1 2 1 /4 ” (2 3 c m x 3 1 c m )
P 120,000
(d.)
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Stevest on, Ric hm ond C a n a d a B .C
oil on c a n va s
18” x 2 8 ” (4 6 c m x 7 1 cm )
P 200,000
Provenance:
Private Collection, Manila
Time was when paintings of faraway cities were unspoken badges of sophistication for the artist. Before him there was Canaletto, Guardi, Robert
and etc. Paintings as remembrances of distant lands — paintings brought home by some grand tour broaden the viewer’s world too, opening
doors to how the artist perceives the experience of a faraway place.
As can be seen in this stunning rendition of the quaint, historic fishing village known as Steveston, Romulo Galicano captures the humble
scenery masterfully. Though undated, this piece could very well be among the works created around the time the artist accepted grants by
patrons to paint chosen monuments and sceneries in Europe and the Americas.
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B arcel ona
signed a nd d a t ed 1 9 6 4 ( lo w e r le f t)
oi l on c a nva s
36” x 4 6 ” (9 1 c m x 1 1 7 cm )
P 3,000,000
Provenance:
Literature:
Ramon N. Villegas & Lisa Guerrero Nakpil, TWO NAVELS: LEON CURATED AUCTION, Leon Gallery, Makati City, 2016, p. 42-45 and
This piece is accompanied by a certificate issued by Mr. Christian Aguilar confirming the authenticity of this lot
Alcuaz’ art contains elements of both Filipino and Western painting traditions that merge to make singularly intimate works. At the core
of his art is modernism’s freedom and a freshness of spirit that immediately draws one into his vision of the world.
It was Alcuaz’ long stay in Europe, artistically and experientially, that made the difference between him and the other Filipino abstractionists
of his generation. Alcuaz was steeped in the artistic values of Europe, where he took root. In contrast, the influence to Joya’s art was
primarily American in the New York School of Abstract Expressionism and Pollock’s gestural painting. But Alcuaz in Europe immersed
himself in the interwar School of Paris, with its rich multiplicity of styles.
Alcuaz has drawn inspiration from a wide variety of sources, from his early years in the Philippines to his long stay in Europe, resulting in an
art that is universal in its nature.
Alcuaz wields a powerful brush. Often in Alcuaz’ work there is this sense that we are looking at the tempestuous aesthetics and hedonism
of Spain and the rest of Europe, the viewer can imagine that as the artist executed his strokes and applied his solid colors, there was this
sense of serendipity that reveals a kind of “dancing” poetry driven by sheer energy.
Alcuaz painted rapidly, a stirring of imagination that communicates to the viewer a pleasurable emotion.
This abstraction has a sense of high drama and intensity about it that is not found in his more formal, figurative works, such as the
“Tres Marias” series. While his abstractions are tense and tempestuous, his Tres Marias are calm, sonorous, and even philosophical.
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Marcel Antonio (b.1965)
Lo ve B ir ds
signed a nd d a t ed 1 9 9 6 ( lo w e r le f t)
oi l on c a nva s
24” x 3 0 ” (6 4 c m x 7 6 cm )
P 120,000
Marcel Antonio is very much a storyteller, and
this ability is very much evident in his work. With
a penchant for magic realism, Antonio loves
to populate his canvas with a cast of characters
that are peculiar, with occasional odes to classical
art.
His brush takes to worlds that dig deep into the
recesses of his mind and his imagination—
dramatic, mysterious—leaving one to think,
to contemplate, such as in this enigmatic piece
from 1996 that is his ode to love and lovers.
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Andres Barrioquinto (b.1975)
3 ,000 Bla c k S ins I
resi n
H : 28” x L: 1 5 1 /2 ” x W: 1 8 ” ( 7 1 cm x 3 9 cm x 4 6 cm )
P 250,000
Exhibited:
Galerie Sogan, “The Scream of the Butterfly”,
Singapore, 18 Sept – 12 Oct, 2014
Andres Barrioquinto has come to be known for his
intoxicatingly alluring hyperrealistic renditions of
women cloaked by shrouds of allegory. The stylistic
elements of Barrioquinto’s creations all bear
a thematic potency, and the level of intricacy
and detail they are done in bears witness to the
artist’s technical prowess and creative genius.
Although most noted for these more recent works,
Barrioquinto’s oeuvre houses quite a repertoire of styles and media.
Barrioquinto’s earlier creations featured a darker, more grotesque brand of imagery. Surrealist in nature also, are his earlier renditions
— both eerily brooding and creepy, pieces from this period of Barrioquinto’s all possess a hint of distraught and paranoia.
This very work by the acclaimed artist is a bit of an oddity and a rarity due to its three-dimensional nature. One of its kind, this piece
is among the very few sculptures created by the contemporary genius thus far — beyond that, this very resin sculpture is among the very
first batch of which in Barrioquinto’s venture into the three-dimensional plane. Entitled “3,000 Black Sins I”, this andromorphic play on
themes speaks in allegory. A clever use of elements is present in the work, as the complex interplay of ideas is given context. This playful,
horrific, and whimsically dark subject gives us a peek into the workings of Barrioquinto’s art — every bit of his emotion and wit brought
to life in 3D for the first time.
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Arturo Luz (b.1926)
Juggl e r a nd A r t ist
signed (l ow er r i g h t ) date d 2 0 0 2
36” x 3 6 ” (9 1 c m x 9 1 cm )
P 260,000
Provenance:
Arturo Luz’ geometric, minimalist style has become one of the most significant and recognized subjects in modern Philippine Art. Luz’ renditions,
both abstract and figurative, possess a very distinct aesthetic that flaunts a complex structural ideology, meld with a simplistic approach that has
been revered as genius.
The musicians, acrobats, and entertainers featured in Luz’ works have become iconic figures in Philippine Art — a timelessness in their simplicity
and elegance.
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Carlos “Botong” Francisco (1912-1969)
Kal an t ia o a t L ublub a n
oil on c a n va s
42” x 2 7 1 /2 ” (1 0 7 c m x 7 0 cm )
P 7,000,000
Provenance:
Acquired from the family of Carlos V. Francisco after his death by Victorino Blancada of Angono
Literature:
(illustrated)
With an authentication provided by Mr. Salvador “Badong” Juban, protegé and artist assistant of Carlos “Botong” V. Francisco
from 1959 until his death in 1969.
Engaging are the images of those languorous native women in the works of illustrator-painter Carlos “Botong” Francisco. It should surprise
no one that the art of illustration affects us more directly than the works of the great masters held captive in museums. Botong occupies both
worlds with ease: a deft illustrator and a master painter.
Although Botong did not finish his degree and was forced to work, towards the end of his college days, Botong found a job as layout artist at the
Philippine Herald. Although he did not relish the work of a layout artist, he persevered at the Herald and later at the Manila Tribune. When the
School of Architecture and Fine Arts was established at the University of Santo Tomas shortly before the war, Botong the illustrator, painter and
layout artist became a teacher.
In 1945, Manila was a heap of rubble, and people find a kindred nostalgia for a vanished past. Even before he found fame, Botong’s works
already captured the sentiments of an era: the Spanish, and now the American eras are over, and a longing for an identity of a people raised
in the bounty of the land and the sea were mirrored in the works of Carlos “Botong” Francisco.
One of the most surprising phenomena in postwar Philippine art is how Botong almost singlehandedly gave effective and authentic advantage
of the existence of native and exotic Philippine culture. During the Spanish era they were barely portrayed, and during the American period, they
were the white man’s symbols of conquest. Genre, which was highly favored in the American era, avoided the exotic for the familiar.
Conveying the same elegant hauteur that is to be seen in his world famous — as in Newsweek worthy- murals in the next decade, the fifties,
Kalantiao at Lubluban exhibits a two dimensional quality and reveals Carlos Botong Francisco’s penchant for elaborate pictorial elements. Botong
— whom the critic Rodolfo Paras Perez called “troubadour of traditional values, of traditional ways about to vanish”, arrived at an idiom which
was both Filipino and Asian in the fresh colors of the subjects, the curvilinear lines in rhythm creating decorative patterns and the particular
disposition of space which satisfies the Filipino avoidance “horror vacui”.
Botong was a recognized costume designer for films. Botong’s costume designs for film or otherwise were conceived in intricate detail,
a combination of fastidious historical research and artistic eruditeness. After World War 2, among the many things that Botong did as an artist
was to design costumes for Romeo at Julieta (Romeo and Juliet), as well as Prinsipe Tenoso (Prince Tenoso), Ibong Adarna (Adarna Bird), Siete
Infantes de Lara (Seven Devils) and the Juan Tamad series.
The verticality if the composition and subjects of “Kalantiao at Lubluban” anticipates Botong’s foreshortening of the human body in his murals
which in practice served as an optical device that neutralized the oblique angle at which a hanging mural is invariably viewed.
Botong filled his sketchpads with costumed figures similar to those “tipos del pais” done by nineteenth century painters such as Damian
Domingo. But while in the 19th century these costumes were rendered to satisfy foreign curiosity on the exotic inhabitants of the Philippines,
Botong’s own visual pageantries are imbued with a mid - twentieth century and surprisingly more sympathetic sensibility.
For a work done very early in his career, Botong reveals a mastery of visual communication and his affinity for Filipino historical subjects.
This meticulous attention for detail was not without its own authoritative source, for Botong was steeped in the customs and folklore of the
Philippines. The artist is more involved with an appreciative depiction of authentic Filipino attires than with an idealization of what is in vogue.
Botong greatly contributed towards developing a Filipino aesthetic, drawing inspiration from the history, customs and traditions of the people,
as well as from the familiar environment. Botong’s outlook on life and art continued to be a strong influence on many young artists lining after
he was gone. His characteristic style and themes were the basis of the regional group of painters which grew around Botong’s hometown
of Angono along Laguna Lake.
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92
Un ti tl e d
12” x 2 0 ” (3 0 c m x 5 1 cm )
P 120,000
One of the most notable elements in Romeo
Tabuena’s creations is his use of color. Meld with
his ability to induce feeling with his ambient
atmospheric renditions, Tabuena’s visual lyricism
is truly captivating.
In this very work from 1962, we are treated to a
strong contrast of tones — an elegant interplay of
themes with a subtle yet potent emotional undercurrent.
(a.)
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Ronald Caringal (b.1980)
a.) Unt it le d 1 ( dipt y ch )
48” x 3 6 1 /2 ” (1 2 2 c m x 9 3 cm )
b.) Un t it le d 2 ( dipt y c h )
48” x 3 6 1 /2 ” (1 2 2 c m x 9 3 cm )
P 60,000
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(b.)
While it may not exactly bare evident, the works of Ronald Caringal, strong in pop-cultural
references, are actually probing into human relationships, his fears, his thoughts, and all
things that incite and excite the rising young artist.
He does this through the use of random objects or images of women that are either culled
from glossy fashion magazine spreads, or from their risqué representations. Often times,
Caringal deals with personal experiences or puts to canvas his own thoughts on a myriad
of topics.
This diptych work is rife in its sexual connotations and makes a statement on how women
are exploited in the name of commerce. The piece as a whole plays with the idea of physical
and mental consumption, and how they are intertwined in our pursuit of pleasure.
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Nena Saguil (1924-1994)
Un ti tl e d
pen and i nk o n p a per
26” x 2 0 ” (6 6 c m x 5 1 cm )
P 220,000
Provenance:
Acquired directly from the artist in Paris, France
In Nena Saguil’s venture into total abstraction, she had conjured a visual language that has made use of minute, intricate elements that come
together. With her swirls, ellipses, and blots, she completes these convulsing dream-like renditions that are redolent of obscure landscapes and
cosmos.
This very work by the pioneering modernist is from 1967 — by around which time, she had resided in France. The very surreal landscape depicts
heavenly oddities, as the sky is occupied by numerous bodies. The wistful air pervades the piece, although some peculiar, subliminal elements
stand out; one of which, an addition to the work that appears to be a butterfly.
Saguil’s abstractions are very contextual with reference to things — her imagery, powerfully evocative and captivating nonetheless. A very relatable
emotional display, meld with a whimsical touch.
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Moth e r a nd C hild
si gned a nd d a t ed 1 9 7 6
brass
H: 26” x L: 1 0 1 /2 ” x W: 8 ” ( 6 6 cm x 2 6 cm x 2 0 cm )
P 300,000
Solomon Saprid’s genius incorporation of media and space has allowed him to concoct such brilliant imagery with his subjects. Themes that
allude to both the mythic and the real come alive in Saprid’s masterful renditions, as the Modern Master expressively captures his subjects without
foregoing any figurative intricacy.
In this 1976 creation, we can see the very distinct character of Saprid’s sculpture. His chosen media, meld with his powerful stylized approach
to form is evocative of motion — the dynamic of the work, lively and natural in all its visual grandeur.
This masterful work by Saprid puts a twist on the timeless Mother and Child theme, adding a touch of reality and expression with his very
approach — a rejuvenating freshness ever present.
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Po rtra it of C hona K a s te n
oil on c a nva s
25 1/2” x 1 9 1 /2 ” (6 4 cm x 5 0 cm )
P 200,000
Leon Gallery wishes to thank Mrs. Sylvia Amorsolo-Lazo for confirming the authenticity of this lot
Amorsolo takes a bow at the tradition of the late 19th century “retratistas” in Philippine art. They painted the ladies of the period and other
members of the principalia. The paintings of old masters like Justiniano Asuncion, Simon Flores, Antonio Malantic, and Vicente Villasenor are
marked not so much by interpretative characterization as by billowing and heavily decorated blouses and panuelos.
The graceful neck of Chona Silos Recto emphasizes the gossamer white fabric forming the generously wide neckline. Her face is rounded oval.
Her large eyes are kind and mild. Her lips radiate a soft smile. Her complexion has clear rosy flesh tones that also set off her black hair. This is the
artist’s attempt to catch the personality of the sitter.
Amorsolo embellished the fabric with embroidery like those in 19th century portraits, but this interest was in creating and celebrating the sitter’s
beauty, as much as showing material prosperity.
The subject’s shoulders offer a dramatic foil for her dress and dark hair. In full mastery of his powers as a portraitist, Amorsolo completed only the
head and a large portion of the neck and shoulder area, the rest of the body subtly dissolving into the background.
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97
a.) Di a gona l D e por t i v a 1
etching 1 1 /3 5
10 1/4” x 1 3 1 /4 ” (2 6 cm x 3 4 cm )
b.) Di a gona l D e por ti va 2
etching 1 1 /3 5
10 1/4” x 1 3 1 /4 ” (2 6 cm x 3 4 cm )
c.) Di a gona l D e por t i va 3
etching 1 1 /3 5
10 1/4” x 1 3 1 /4 ” (2 6 cm x 3 4 cm )
d.) Di a gona l D e por ti va 4
etching 1 1 /3 5
10” x 1 3 ” (2 5 c m x 3 3 cm )
e.) Di a gona l D e por t i v a 5
etching 1 1 /3 5
10” x 1 3 ” (2 5 c m x 3 3 cm )
f.) Di a gona l D e por t i v a 6
etching 1 1 /3 5
10 1/4” x 1 3 1 /4 ” (2 6 cm x 3 4 cm )
P 120,000
(a.)
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(b.)
(c.)
(d.)
(e.)
(f.)
(g)
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León Gallery
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98
Round Dining Table
4th Qua r t e r of t he 1 9 th C e n tu r y
N arra
H: 31” (7 8 c m)
diamete r : 6 2 ” (1 5 7 c m )
P 160,000
Contrary to belief, the tops of round tables are not cross-sections of large tree trunks, but are cut from planks. When their diameter is very large,
exceeding five or more feet, they are cut from the buttresses that support giant, century-old trees. Large round dining tables with a solid top are
hard to come by, especially now that most Philippine forests have been logged over.
This dining table with a top made of a single piece of narra is seldom seen. The top is edged with an S-curved ogee molding going around
a fillet molding which is bordered by an inner ovolo or concave molding. The circular table top support has a narrow half-round molding
running around the bottom edge.
The top rests on a pedestal leg in the shape of a turned vase-like baluster resting on a drum to which three scrolled feet are attached. The body of
the vase is carved with series of lobes, a wide reel forms the neck of the vase, while a quarter-round molding forms the lip. The drum has
a ring at its top and bottom and four vertical half-round moldings are appliqued equidistantly in the space between each foot.
Each scrolled foot consists of a thick piece of wood with a complicated jigsaw outline of ogee curves and cusp that are enhanced by shallow
carved scrolls in the Chinese manner. The design of the foot tacitly proclaims its maker to have been a Chinese artisan.
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Property from the Lulu hidalgo collection
99
Cesar Legaspi (1917-1994)
Searching
oil on c a n va s
18” x 2 4 ” (4 6 c m x 6 1 cm )
P 400,000
Provenance:
Acquired directly from the artist
This piece is accompanied by a certificate issued by Mr. Dennis Legaspi confiming the authenticity of this lot
A pioneer “Neo-Realist” of the country, Cesar Legaspi is remembered for his singular achievement of refining cubism in the Philippine context.
Legaspi belonged to the so-called “Thirteen Moderns” and later, the “Neo-realists”.
Through the 1970s and 1980s, Legaspi worked on paintings that deal with universal human experience; such as Survivor (1978) and Descent
(1980). These large, heroic canvases convey the surging, straining movements of human beings in aspiration, struggle and triumph done in his
resonant style. Here, the figures are released from stasis into dynamism of movement as they enter into complex interrelationships. In this work,
the multifaceted human figures are depicted in fluid tones and transparencies of deep reds and oranges, even cinnabar hues amid richly
orchestrated tones and colors such as in “The Diggers”. He continued his strongly structured and textured tonal works in brown monochrome,
the sculptured, faceted bodies of the human imagery drawn from stone quarries and tribal aesthetics.
Legaspi made use of the geometric fragmentation technique, weaving social comment and juxtaposing the mythical and modern into his
overlapping, interacting forms with disturbing power and intensity. The same qualities have manifested themselves since the 1970s.
Talking about a 1971 exhibit at the Luz Gallery, a Manila Times columnist wrote: “the paintings of Legaspi have one major source of inspiration
— the torso; but Legaspi endows these (sic) major fountainhead of artistic inspiration with his unique near abstract constructions in terms of light
and dark values... The human figure from the viewpoint of Legaspi... often fragments with bones and muscles transformed into rhythmic songs
of color. There is sometimes a hide and seek effect between the surface shapes in the painting and the human torso. The figures and what seem
like fossil and timeless rock forms float within an overall buoyant composition.”
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100
P a n corbo c on Refl ej os
s ig n ed (lo w er left) d a ted 1 9 6 3
o il o n c a n va s
4 5 ” x 5 7 ” (1 1 4 c m x 1 4 5 c m )
P 6,000,000
Literature:
Ramon N. Villegas & Lisa Guerrero Nakpil, TWO NAVELS: LEON CURATED
AUCTION, Leon Gallery, Makati City, 2016, p. 36-39 and p. 40-41 (illustrated)
This piece is accompanied by a certificate issued by Don Rafael Perez-Madero
confirming the authenticity of this lot
Painted in May 1963, the spectacular “Pancorbo con Reflejos” (Pancorbo with
Reflections) fits in perfectly with Rafael Pérez-Madero’s definition of the new stage
in Zóbel’s painting which started precisely in 1963: “[in this stage, the painter] began
for the first time to base his work on the abstraction of imaginary landscapes, or on the
recollection of these landscapes, trying to capture the more or less real color of memory”.
There is unquestionably no better definition of this painting. It is the pure abstraction
of a landscape based on an observation of — and in — nature. This is true from the title
itself, with the toponym Pancorbo, referring to the mountain pass of the same name
located in this same town in Northern Spain, and the word “Reflections”, perhaps
referring to the spring sun reflecting on the water — the bluish touch on the upper part
of the painting and the bright blue zone on the lower part may be there for this very
reason, a clear echo of the sparkle of the water of the river — to the effect achieved,
as the entire painting appears swathed in a whitish mist rendered by brushstrokes that
call to mind the movement, space and volume of his previous stage, but this time applied
to interpreting the landscape itself.
We previously mentioned the changes prompted by Zóbel’s trip to Italy after the 1962
Venice Biennale, although we should also consider the fact that after the Biennale the
artist, who was always restless and seeking to push his boundaries, saw that it was time
to usher in a new stage in his work. From that time onward, two elements became top
priority in Zóbel’s future oeuvre: the use of colour, which is not arbitrary (as it was in his
saeta period, where one colour was used if its clash with any other tone produced the
vibrating effect that Zóbel sought in the 1950s) and, along with this use of color,
a desire to return to nature, either through observation and experience directly in nature
or through the great artists of the past. Therefore, there is a reference in this new stage.
In the words of Zóbel himself in the interview published in the “Seria Blanca” book (White
Series): “Inevitably, when a painting begins to suggest light and volume, and to the extent
that it does, it stops being abstract. This is not always a voluntary process nor a fully
conscious one (…) my paintings were beginning to turn into ‘something else’; something
more suggestive and less abstract.”
Otherwise, “Pancorbo con reflejos” is a wonderful example of the best work Zóbel
rendered during the stage on which the painter embarked in 1963. Not only is the work
based on nature, with clear references to Fernando Zóbel’s masters, from Rembrandt
(with the presence of black on the upper part) to Turner, but the painting we are
examining also successfully resolves the problems that Zóbel as a painter had been
facing since early in his career: time (as an element that allows the celerity and action
of the painting to be solved) and the effects of light, space and volume.
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101
Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere Manuscript in German and etc
P 750,000
Provenance:
There is no doubt that history has marked our National Hero’s place in the echelons of the nation’s generation of champions because of one
published novel, the Noli me Tangere. But the complete story cannot be written if other peculiar and peripheral materials are not considered. This
controversial book was primarily written in German, and has also made a lasting impact on Europeans. Here are some primary Spanish Colonial
Period letters, books and an unpublished manuscript translation of the Noli in German.
(1) Undated letter in Spanish on watermarked paper “O C F. Paris” addressed to Jose Rizal from a friend while he was in France. There are very
few remaining primary documents and letters addressed to, and touched by National Hero Jose Rizal still kept in private hands. The majority of
these letters were acquired by the Philippine Government after Legislative Act 2021 was passed on January 26, 1911.
(2) Congratulatory letter for the Noli me Tangere sent from Berlin, Germany on May 25, 1887 by a certain W. Raj after Jose Rizal left,
congratulating him in German for the Tagalog novel Noli me Tangere. This date marks the time when the printing press released the undated
book.
(3) Letter of appreciation addressed to Paciano Mercado on official stationery of Intendencia Gral. de Hacienda in Binondo, Manila and dated June
6, 1887 regarding the complimentary copy of the Noli me Tangere. The letter took note that a book dealer in Manila by the name of Manuel Arias
y Rodriguez was selling 100 copies of the book. This letter is historically significant because it dates the arrival of the famous novel in Manila when
government officials were even afforded complimentary copies.
(4) El Amigo de los Niños by Abate Sabater and translated by Juan Escoiquiz, published in Manila by Agencia Editorial de Manuel Arias Rodriguez
in 1896.
(5) Siluetas Filipinas by Ximeno Ximénez published in Madrid by Libreria de Robles y Compañia in 1887. It is interesting to read another version
of the Philippine situation that came out during the same year the Noli me Tangere was released.
(6) Undated 234 manuscript pages consisting of the unpublished translation of Jose Rizal’s novel Noli me Tangere in German with a new title In
the Land of the Monks. The first page indicates the translators as Henri Lucas and Ramon Sempon. Together with the black knotted folio, the
paper used is of the late 19th century vintage.
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(1)
(2)
(4)
(3)
(5)
(6)
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102
Manuel Ocampo (b.1965)
B as tar ds of Misr e pr e s e n ta ti o n # 2
dated 2 0 0 5
oi l on c a n va s
48” x 9 6 ” (1 2 2 c m x 2 4 4 cm )
P 400,000
Provenance:
Manuel Ocampo is one of the most representative and world-renowned Filipino contemporary artists today. Since the beginning of the 90s,
Ocampo has regularly exhibited his works internationally; specifically in Spain, France, Germany, Mexico and United States. Beyond that, he has
also been known to feature in international fairs in Basel, Miami and Berlin, among others.
Ocampo’s art features a myriad of allegory and symbolism. Done in such a twisted fashion, his works are rather hard to ignore. With his grotesque,
acerbic imagery, some thematic elements tend to be overlooked — such, usually engulfed by the disturbing, resonant violence prevalent in his
compositions.
In this very work, we see Ocampo play on religious themes — nothing new from the iconic contemporary. In the gruesome display, the artist
satirizes the image of Christ rising. A gloomy rendition of Christ presents itself, with a figure birthed from the viscous sludge risen and ‘branching’
out.
Allegorical on multiple levels, Ocampo conjures the setting exquisitely in all its distraught nature. Leaving room for audiences to ponder, the artist
does not blatantly reveal his message — inviting his guests to surmise context with his allusions.
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(front)
(back)
Property formerly in the collection of don epifanio de los santos
103
Talisman of Andres Bonifacio
2” x 1 1 /2 ” (5 c m x 4 cm )
P 120,000
Provenance:
Don Epifanio de los Santos
a gift from the above to Dr. Jose P. Bantug
Don Antonio Bantug, thence by descent
Literature:
Laya, Jaime C., Consuming Passions: Philippine Collectibles, Anvil Publishing Inc., Pasig City, 2003, p. 42 (illustrated)
This is the talisman or anting-anting that Andres Bonifacio had at the Battle for Pinaglabanan, one week after the Cry of Balintawak. It shows on
the obverse an image of Nuestra Señora del Pilar, and on the reverse that of Santiago de Galicia.
A talisman is an object which is supposed to contain certain magical properties which would possibly offer protection from evil or harm.
The anting-anting was a gift of Don Epifanio de los Santos to Dr. Jose P. Bantug, grandfather of the present owner. After the Spanish
government discovered the Katipunan on August 19, 1896, Andres Bonifacio became aware of the Spanish government's plans for military
action.
On 25 August, Bonifacio deployed several of his men around the Pasong Tamo Bridge when he heard infantrymen and Spanish guardia civil
coming to raid communities around the bridge. On the evening of 29 August, Bonifacio, with his aide Emilio Jacinto, led a group of Katipuneros
towards El Polvorin, a Spanish munitions fortress situated in San Juan del Monte. Spanish infantry and artillerymen, armed with German Mauser
rifles, guarded Polvorin; the Katipuneros were generally armed with machetes, a few assorted guns, bamboo spears and anting-antings. After
two successful encounters with the guardia civil, Bonifacio was joined by 300 men from Santolan led by Valentin Cruz. By midnight, a second
small group composed of 100 Katipuneros, under Sancho Valenzuela, and coming from Santa Mesa, arrived at Polvorin.
The next day, August 30, 1896, at about 4:00 a.m., Bonifacio and his men launched their surprise attack, capturing Polvorin several hours later.
The Spanish troops retreated to the nearby building of El Deposito, after the commander and another man were killed. Before noon, the 73rd
"Jolo" Regiment, composed of Filipino soldiers under the Spanish General Bernardo Echaluce y Jauregui, arrived at San Juan del Monte to help
put down the rebellion. The 73rd Regiment was armed with the Remington Rolling Block rifle. The revolutionaries regrouped at Santa Mesa and
faced the Spanish troops in a valiant battle. In 1974, the Pinaglabanan Shrine was unveiled in San Juan, along Pinaglabanan Street.
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Pi nk G arden
p a stel o n felt p a p er
2 8 ” x 2 2 ” (7 1 c m x 5 6 c m )
P 120,000
This piece is accompanied by a certificate issued by Gisella
Olmedo - Araneta confirming the authenticity of this lot
In the odd world born from the dark recesses of Onib Olmedo’s
mind is the perpetual anguish that pervades nearly every scene.
The ever present gloom has come to be, in a way, his trademark
— the setting’s populace continually sharing the burden of their
pains. However, every so often, Olmedo gives us a glimpse into
the more brilliant side of his realm. As in this still life, we bask
in the perturbed air of his disfigured world, left to enjoy the simple
scenery in all its twisted beauty.
105
Eduardo Castrillo (1942-2016)
Frame
brass
22” x 2 7 ” (5 6 c m x 6 9 cm )
Sti l l LI f e
si gned a n d d a t ed 1 9 8 0 ( u p p e r le f t)
oil on w o od
10 1/2” x 1 4 ” (2 7 c m x 3 6 cm )
P 200,000
This piece is accompanied by certificates each
issued by Mr. Christian Aguilar and Mr. Eduardo
Castrillo confirming the authenticity
of this lot
There has long existed a strong aesthetic relationship
between the late National Artist Federico Aguilar Alcuaz
and the late sculptor Eduardo Castrillo. Aware of each other’s
respective practices, their abstract pieces in particular have
similar qualities and characteristics. Both lean towards an integral
abstract look, with an eye towards curved gesticulations and subtle highlights. On a personal level, the two artists were good friends and
had interacted with each other within the Modernist art scene, often drawing inspiration from their corresponding individual practices.
This piece is a rare integrated work by the two artists that is part of a series produced in limited numbers. This work is a good
demonstration of approximating elements from the aesthetic direction of each artist. Inspired by the abstract works of this Aguilar Alcuaz
painting, an organic composition of greys and blacks highlighted by subtle hues of green and slight hint of ochre, sculptor Ed Castrillo built
an artwork that complements this oil on canvas work which seems to gain volume by becoming a part of the Castrillo brass work. The
sculpture gives the otherwise two-dimensional painting an asymmetrical look, emphasizing the abstracted forms of the subject.
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Property from the collection of the ossorio family
106
Li g awa n
oil on c a n va s
24” x 3 4 ” (6 1 c m x 8 6 cm )
P 2,000,000
L’Amour is perhaps the most intimate and appealing theme that speaks to us across the centuries, and here, Amorsolo depicts a narrative
of light to tell a story of love.
The narrative content, which highlights many of the paintings of Amorsolo, is central to the strength of Amorsolo’s art. Underlying the
idealized composition is the reality of the farmer’s life. Workers in the fields harvest rice in the hot tropical sun. Harvesters work from early
morning until dusk. Amorsolo painted many variations of this subject. This work focuses upon the young couple rather than the group.
Amorsolo always painted what he saw in his own sun-flooded backyard of choice: haystacks piling, oxen plowing, peasants at work.
Beyond, the farmer swirling the palay in the air provides a dynamic counterpoint to the tell-tale body language of the young tandem in the
foreground.
All of these details breathe life into this midcentury depiction of romance. When celebrating love, artists turn quite naturally to the
immediately tangible, sensory details, and this painting is an adept display of textures.
Amorsolo’s narrative is enhanced through attention to details of light and shadow, and the richness of color is in the hardy blue black
texture of the lad’s working slacks contrast against the girl’s striped and fruity colored country outfit glowing in the sun, with the dried
haystack providing ochre afterglow shadows. The colors are clean and distinct, giving vibrancy to all areas.
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(b.)
107
a.) Landsc a pe 1
14 1/2” x 2 2 ” (3 7 c m x 5 6 cm )
b.) Lan dsc a pe 2
14 1/2” x 2 2 ” (3 7 c m x 5 6 cm )
P 220,000
Provenance:
Vicente Manansala was a pioneering neo-realist in Philippine Art. His development of transparent cubism had led him to great acclaim and
adulation, cementing his stature in history and ultimately earning him the National Artist award.
Iconic in every sense of the word, Manansala has put on display his creative and technical prowess time and again throughout his entire body
of work. Of note are his watercolor creations, which feature scenes of the countryside and similar idylls.
Just as in this pair of works from 1959, Manansala uses his medium with such great restrain — the translucence of watercolor so elegantly giving
vibrance and allure to the composition, ultimately adding to its emotional quality. Such translucent quality of watercolor bore
inspiration for Manansala’s cubism, and could very well be a precursor for which. This very work, is a truly masterful rendition of scenic Filipino
beauty by the National Artist in his most revered dialect.
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108
Jose John Santos III (b.1970)
Un ti tl e d
oil on c a n va s
36” x 3 6 ” (9 1 c m x 9 1 cm )
P 1,200,000
Jose John Santos III takes inspiration from occurrences of everyday — found objects, the ordinary that he turns into the extraordinary,
prosaic stuff that he encounters within his environment and surroundings — which he then presents through symbolisms, farcicality,
abstruseness — utilizing hyperrealism in bringing them to life and giving them new meanings.
Santos has the propensity to bring together seemingly disparate and unrelated objects; in this case, a Bahay na Bato, a jeepney, and an
eery figure that form what is made to appear to be a postcard.
Overall, it is quite evident that the artist sets out to catch his viewers off-guard, leaving them beguiled, in awe, and in sheer delight.
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(b.)
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a.) M ot he r a nd C hild
fibergla ss r ei nfor c ed r e s in , o il an d a crylic
H: 31 1/2 ” x L: 2 7 1 /2 ” x W: 2 3 1 / 2 ” ( 8 0 cm x 7 0 cm x 6 0 c m )
b.) Lara w a n
H: 39” x L: 1 2 ” x W: 1 8 ” ( 9 9 cm x 3 0 cm x 4 6 cm )
c.) Danc e D e f ia nc e
H: 35” x L: 1 4 ” x W: 1 2 ” ( 8 9 cm x 3 6 cm x 3 0 cm )
d.) Sabe l
H: 39” x L: 1 2 ” x W: 1 4 ” ( 9 9 cm x 3 0 cm x 3 6 cm )
P 1,100,000
Provenance:
Private Collection, Secret Fresh
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(c.)
(d.)
Gloria Goloy wrote in 1974: "Bencab's people are the deprived. They are meant to be recognized as the bereft in us all. They have always been
Bencab's people." Bencab made them his own by embedding the anguished faces of proletariat types.
In 2015, Bencab’s dramatis personae headed by Sabel and the Mother and Child found their elevated, realistic place among “munnies” — curious
characters from three eyed blob-like monsters to one eyed chickens and the like. Sculptural and toy-like and in the end totally high-art. It was a
year when even known manufacturers of figurines such as Lladro released whimsical characters. But Bencab held his own, taking full advantage
of the third dimension to make the most of his penchant for swirling fabrics and his mastery of dynamics.
He created a groups of small figurines, which take a romantic imagery akin to Comedia dell'arte characters. In their exquisitely elegant flourish
and easy charm, Bencab’s works do not show the pathos of Tondo, Bambang and Mayhaligue, places of the artist’s youth which are manifested
with his themes on canvas.
These figures give a more evocative sense of Bencab’s sense of the theatrical than what is depicted on canvas.
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Geraldine Javier (b.1970)
W hat Remai ns (Tri pty c h)
sig n ed a n d d a ted 2 0 1 4
in k a n d en c a u stic o n c a n va s
4 8 ” x 1 0 2 ” x 4 ” (1 2 2 c m x 2 5 9 c m x 1 0 c m)
P 1,200,000
Provenance:
Finale Art File
Exhibited:
Finale Art File, Geraldine Javier: Landscape
as a State of Mind is a Landscape, Makati City,
Philippines, 4 – 30 May 2015
Literature:
Godfrey, Tony, Geraldine Javier: Landscape as a State
of Mind is a Landscape, Finale Art File, Makati City,
2015, p. 32-33 (illustrated)
The densely wavering growth of vegetation under
ruled zigzag grids explores the relationship between
spontaneity and system, between casual structures and
rigid ones. Brushstrokes that define the lush leaves are fine,
precise, deftly controlled. The manner in which Geraldine
Javier handles her painting medium offers clues about
her temperament and personality. Her work exudes both
carefree release beneath calculated restraint and discipline.
The artist does not surrender to intuition; she plots out her
strategies before getting on with work. Amid the lushness
of tropical plants there are all sorts of geometric shapes
crossing the picture. Javier has always enjoyed design and
decorative traditions, having made work with embroideries
and crochet, but in the process of creating this exhibition she
became fascinated by patterning.
Being true to her Filipino heritage, she first looked at the
indigenous Filipino textiles, but in the end she created her
own patterns: she pursues patterns that are dynamic rather
than intricate. Much as Javier respects traditions, she
always ends up doing something new. Each painting has
a different pattern for the frame, as she does not like
repeating herself.
Words are of little, if any, importance to Geraldine Javier.
The dialogue between her paintings and their audience
happens beyond the realm of language, the visual
experience evokes sensation without touching on words.
This painting makes the eye travel, turning your attention
inwards.
Geraldine Javier’s ideas and images come forth from strange
places. Javier once sent a message to a friend: ‘I’m painting
a landscape which is not really about the landscape but
a state of mind within that landscape.”
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León Gallery
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111
Un ti tl e d
pastel o n b oa r d
20” x 3 0 ” (5 1 c m x 7 6 cm )
P 120,000
Romulo Galicano’s art has come to be known for
its photo-realistic aesthetic. A multifaceted artist,
Galicano creates his stunning, highly detailed works in
various media, from watercolors, to pastels, and oil.
Refined is Galicano’s style, capturing every detail
of this very setting — from the faint shadows of the
lanky trees laid across the foreground, to the pieces
of clothing hung to dry flailing in the air. A homey
sense of nostalgia is induced by the glum atmosphere,
as a wistfulness is brewed by the dark clouds in the background adding hint of gloom to the play on the familiar.
Just earlier this year, Galicano was bestowed the Status Signature Award — an award that recognizes both practicing and accomplished artists
who are dedicated to the educational mission and high aesthetic standards of the Portrait Society of America.
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Man i l a Ba y
oil on c a n va s
12” x 1 7 ” (3 0 c m x 4 3 cm )
P 100,000
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Leon gallery
This painting is one of Federico Aguilar Alcuaz’ many views of Manila bay
from a hotel suite. Alcuaz kept suites in two hotels and one condominium
for storing his numerous paintings, and he rarely went out to walk in the
city.
Alcuaz presents a majestic view of the shoreline: a stunning juxtaposition
of the raw power of the landscape vis à vis the azure tranquility of the sea
and sky.
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Bananas I
en a m el o n w o o d
2 0 ” x 9 ” (5 1 c m x 2 3 c m )
P 500,000
Provenance:
Luz Gallery
Ang Kiukok’s perennial subject has been the table. There
is something different to notice in each of his tablescapes
— less typically, black and white tables which vaguely suggest
surreal deserts ala Giorgio de Chirico.
No matter how many objects pile up on each table, a restive
configuration of linear rhythms, Ang imposes on authoritative
decorum over every detail.
There is none of the extravaganza overspill of a Carmen
Miranda hat: the jaunty clockwise/counterclockwise
movements “contained” within a rigid frame.
In the 1960s, Ang Kiukok’s growing body of works
constituted a sharp break from the rural idylls of the
prewar era, dominated by Fernando Amorsolo. Although
a committed modernist, Ang turned his back on the purely
formalist aspect of modernism. Instead, he developed
a cubist style infused with a highly expressive quality.
He started pulling away from monochromatic grays after his
1964 sellout show after a brief “educational” trip to the USA.
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114
Malacañang Palace Azotea
1886
Archi tec t ura l Pl a n s Of M a la can a n g Pala ce A zo te a
Li nen Pa p er a nd In k
90” x 2 0 ” (2 2 8 c m x 5 2 cm )
P 350,000
Provenance:
After the destruction of the Gov.-General’s Palace during the 1863 earthquake, the Chief Executive and his family occupied the Palacio Temporal
de Sta. Potenciana on the site that is now occupied by the Red Cross Building along Gen. Luna St. in Intramuros. The government also decided
to rent an estate along the Pasig River in the San Miguel District as a weekend retreat for the Governor.
When the Palacio Temporal suffered damage in the 1880 earthquake, the authorities decided to buy Malacanang,the riverfront property from the
Rocha-Tuason Family, and make itthe official residence of the Gov.-General.
Malacanang proved to be somewhat inadequate to house the family and staff of the Gov - General and to serve as a venue for public receptions.
Thus, during the term of Governor General Emilio Terrero y Perinat (1885-1888), it was decided to enlarge the building. Plans were drawn for the
construction of a complete new wing to the right of the front of the building. This was so arranged as to complete the front facing the Pasig River
with a new azotea or terrace built on the river front joined to the one already existing.
This hand drawn architectural plan of Malacañang Palace dated November 6, 1886 with title “Proyecto de Reforma de la Azotea de Malacanang”
has the official seal and signature of the Chief Engineer in Manila. The plans are beautifully drawn with draftsmanship difficult to duplicate today.
The building details show the Neo-Mudejar Style that was very popular in the Philippines until the end of the century. This balcony existed until
Mrs. Imelda Marcos remodeled it to build the present Rizal Hall of Malacanang.
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115
Angelito Antonio (b.1939)
Bayaniha n
oil on c a n va s
48” x 9 6 ” (1 2 2 c m x 2 4 4 cm )
P 600,000
Provenance:
One of the most recognizable modernists is Angelito Antonio. Known for his evocative creations done in his signature acidic yellow, Antonio’s
take on rustic themes has always featured an ordered rhythm. In his depictions of musicians, orchestras, workers, even individuals leisurely laying
around, Antonio exhibits great restrain, authoritatively controlling the would-be chaos.
In this work by the modern Maestro, observable is the ordinal, patterned sequence of the people laboriously carrying sacks of rice. Rhythmic
in their presentation, the polychromatic rendition bears a complex air of mixed emotions — the idyllic, replaced with reality’s toils.
Images of rustic life are subliminally incorporated into the work. The figures in the background, subtly set in the brighter environment, denote
a wistfulness in the foreground permeating from the darker tones. Suggestive of longing, the strong interplay of themes adds to the elaborate
nature of the composition.
Ever intricate from conception to execution, Antonio treats us to a stunning, evocative display.
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116
Un ti tl e d
si gned a nd d a t ed 1 9 8 7 ( u p p e r rig h t)
oil on c a n va s
15 1/4” x 1 8 1 /2 ” (3 9 cm x 4 7 cm )
P 120,000
National Artist Federico Aguilar Alcuaz has garnered great adulation and
acclaim for his mode of abstraction. Elegant and refined are his artistic
tendencies, as his works exemplify a very European flair — a quality present
in the works of very few Filipino artists.
Alcuaz’ abstractions house very complex interplays of elements, disfiguring
his subjects to the point where only their bare essence is left. Excellent is the
iconic modern’s allusion to forms, concocting his unique brand of abstraction
with great intricacy and detail.
117
Mauro Malang Santos (b.1928)
Carozz a
gouache
15 1/2” x 1 0 ” (3 9 c m x 2 5 cm )
P 200,000
Provenance:
Mauro Malang Santos began his professional artistic career as an
illustrator and editorial cartoonist, equipping him with the uncanny
ability to cut to the core of his subject matter. This resulted in the creation
of a uniquely Filipino artistic vocabulary that bore a distinct, universal
charm.
In 1957, he was hailed by the renowned Philippine Art Gallery’s Lyd
Arguilla as one of twelve of Manila art’s who’s who. It was just the first
of many accolades he would garner through his long and dazzling career.
The art of Malang celebrates life, urban folk, and the fiesta spirit.
This very work from 1953 is among the earlier works of the iconic
modernist. The religious theme of the work meld with the communal
context of the subjects makes for very Filipino imagery, the cubist
quality of the piece a precursor to what his bottle vendors and
later works are to become. Iconic is Malang’s artistry, clever in its
conception and brilliant in execution.
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(a.)
(b.)
(c.)
118
Set of Chalices
Late 1 9t h C e nt ur y,
si l ver
a. ) H : 9 ” (2 3 c m )
diamete r : 5 1 /4 ” (1 3 c m )
17th C e nt ur y
si l ver
b. ) H: 8 1 /4 ” (2 1 c m )
diamete r : 5 1 /4 ” (1 3 c m )
Earl y 19t h C e nt ur y
si l ver-g i l t
c. ) H: 8 1 /2 ” (2 2 c m)
diamete r : 5 1 /4 ” (1 3 c m )
P 220,000
Provenance:
Manila
These chalices are beautiful and superb examples of their kind. They show the complete mastery of the silversmith’s skills in their creation.
Chalice (A) is a superlative example of embossing and chasing. Seldom does one see embossing of this type with the fruits, flowers and leaves
almost in full relief. The designs of the fruits and flowers are so William Morris, that they must have been inspired by an illustration from an
English periodical.
Chalice (B) is a fine example of 17th century Mannerist Style with its typical embossed lozenges and strapwork. This is probably the best of its kind
that has ever come out in the market and the cutout scrolls are unique. The cup is gold-washed.
Chalice (C) is a superb example of chasing and beadwork. The extremely fine beaded rings, called rosario de perlas,are very difficult and
time-consuming to make. The elaborate design of leafy branches is so finely chased and engraved that the surface looks like a piece of brocade
in miniature. The grounds of the decorated surfaces are stippled and the whole piece is fire gilded or dorado de fuego.
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(Instructions for Assembling Rain Cycle by
Jose Joya)
119
Jose Joya (1931-1995)
R ai n Cy c l e
C a .1 9 6 8
o i l o n c a n va s
7 2” x 9 6 ” (1 8 3 c m x 2 4 4 c m )
P 8,000,000
Provenance:
Luz Gallery
Private Collection, New York
Literature:
Ramon N. Villegas & Lisa Guerrero Nakpil, TWO NAVELS: LEON CURATED
AUCTION, Leon Gallery, Makati City, 2016, p. 48-53 (illustrated)
This piece is accompanied by a certificate issued by Mrs. Josefa
Joya-Baldovino confirming the authenticity of this lot
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120
Hernando R. Ocampo (1911-1978)
U nti tl ed
a c ry lic o n p a p er
1 5 ” x 1 1 ” (3 8 c m x 2 8 c m )
P 120,000
Provenance:
Flordelis Aguenza, thence by descent
Arguably the most original Filipino Artist, H.R. Ocampo had been credited for
his creation of his own style of abstraction — one that makes use
of Philippine flora and fauna in the conceptualization of the abstracted figures.
Although most famous for such, Ocampo’s oeuvre features an assortment of
themes that range from pure abstractions based on figures, to figurative studies
and drawings that feature similar traits as that of his abstract forms. Powerful
and evocative is his art, more so with its uniqueness from conceptualization to
execution.
This rendition of forms by the renowned modernist is a premiere example of his
revered mode of abstraction. Noticeable are the birds in the convoluted imagery,
the remainder of the work left for the audiences to decipher.
121
Kenneth Cobonpue (b.1968)
Li ttl e P e ople
mi xed med i a
H: 74” x L: 3 4 ” x W: 1 5 ” ( 1 8 8 cm x 8 6 cm x 3 8 cm )
P 80,000
Provenance:
Galleria Duemila
From his hometown of Cebu, to Manila, and all the way to Beverly Hills,
Kenneth Cobonpue is a multi-awarded furniture and industrial designer
and manufacturer whose sought-after pieces have gained acclaim here and
abroad.
Having studied at the prestigious Pratt Institute in New York, Cobonpue's
imprint lies in his use of traditional materials endemic to the Philippines
which he then fuses with handmade construction techniques—thus taking
them to the 21st Century through his forward-thinking design ideas.
As a Renaissance Man, he has expanded his works beyond furniture,
venturing forth into conceptual vehicles, interior settings such that of the
APEC welcome dinner in Manila, and yes, paintings and art.
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122
Butaca (Set Of 3)
Tu rn -o f - t he - C e nt ur y
N arra a n d R a t t a n
H: 48” x L: 2 7 1 /2 ” x W: 3 4 ” ( 1 2 2 cm x 7 0 cm x 8 6 cm )
P 100,000
Provenance:
Ilocos
The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 resulted in increased European demand for Philippine abaca, sugar, indigo and tobacco. To supply the
demand forests were cleared and planted to those crops. This resulted in the emergence of a plantation society with a leisurely lifestyle that
produced the butaca or sillon, an easy chair. Called planter’s chair in the East and West Indies, it was a lounging chair most often used for catnaps
during siesta time.
The more common type of sillon was the silla perezosa or ‘lazy man’s chair’, very comfortable lounging chairs with deeply reclining backs often
decorated with a carved foliar crest. The seat and back were caned in one piece, and the straight arms made unusually long to enable the sitter
to stretch out his legs on them. A variation was made with a pull-out seat that allowed the sitter to rest his legs on them.
In the Ilocos, however, the butaca took on a different look. It stood on four legs resembling a stylized sheep’s leg with a cabriole outline
and a scrolled foot, the front ones curling inward, the back ones curving outward.
The arms, supported by arm supports with the outline of an inverted animal leg, were narrow and not wide or long enough to support the sitter’s
leg. Instead, it fell in a graceful curve from the back stile to an inward turned scroll in front and had an attached elbow rest to accommodate
one’s arm comfortably.
The seat frame, contoured to accommodate the rump and lower back comfortably, was made in a graceful curve ending with a scrolled front and
was wide enough for a very portly person. The seat was caned in one piece up to the lower back rail, the latter carved with
a stylized flower at either end.
The back of the chair was comfortably inclined and featured turned back stiles terminated by turned finials. The caned backrest was in the shape
of an oblong frame with shallow arches above and below and edged with an inner and outer molding. The upper arch of the frame, contiguous
to the upper rail and crest, is surmounted by a carved and pierced design of a central Ilocano-style flower flanked on either side by symmetrical
acanthus leaf scrolls. The ends of the top rail are carved with a stylized flower similar to that of the lower back rail.
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123
Hand Drawn Architectural Plan Of The Vigan, Ilocos Casa Real
1894
Li nen Pa per, Ink a n d Wate rco lo r
12 1/2” x 6 1 ” (3 1 c m x 1 5 5 cm )
P 150,000
Provenance:
Ilocos Sur
This hand-drawn architectural plan and elevations of the Casa Real in Vigan, Ilocos Sur was rendered in pen & ink and watercolor and drawn on
linen paper. It shows the floor plans of the first and second stories of the building, the front, rear and side elevations as well as two cross-sections.
This plan, which is in excellent condition, is one of the most complete and detailed Casa Real plans in existence today.
The plan was signed by the Adjutant and Chief Engineer on January 23, 1894 and sealed with the official seal of “ObrasPublicas / Distrito de
Ilocos.” The town of Vigan is one of the few UNESCO declared heritage sites in the Philippines.
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Arturo Luz (b.1926)
Pal i tan a - W hit e Te m p l e s
signed (u p p er l eft ) da t e d 2 0 0 3
acryli c o n c a n va s
36” x 2 4 ” (9 1 c m x 6 1 cm )
P 200,000
After one of his more significant sojourns across Southeast Asia sometime in the mid to late 80s, Arturo Luz drew inspiration from what he
saw and documented with his camera. From artifacts and temples, to palaces and monuments - these ornate structures made quite the lasting
impact on Luz.
One of the spin-offs borne of the very sojourn is his ‘White Temples’ series. Here, Luz captures the grand architecture and transforms such into
the elegant minimalist edifices that feature his signature geometric style. His use of color for contrast is remarkable, as he seamlessly embellishes
his subject with ease by the simplest mean.
With his precise layering of elements and his strong creative vision, it is no surprise that National Artist Arturo Luz has become one of the most
sought after artist of today.
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Lavan de r a s
oi l on c a nva s
28” x 4 0 ” (7 1 c m x 1 0 2 cm )
P 3,000,000
Literature:
Ramon N. Villegas & Lisa Guerrero Nakpil, TWO NAVELS: LEON CURATED AUCTION, Leon Gallery, Makati City, 2016,
Alfredo Roces may have written an article about Amorsolo in 1975 entitled “Fernando Amorsolo: Recurring Themes and Subtle Changes”;
yet the growth of scholarship on the master has been astounding.
Genre avoided the exotic for the familiar, yet the passion for genre remains strong among all generations of Filipino connoisseurs and
collectors in general. Amorsolo had developed his own rustic vision strong enough to hold its own, against even those Philippine art
movements which tried to escape from it.
It captures the steady, unhurried pace of rural life, removing the viewer from the fast, hectic pace lived outside of the countryside,
reminding us of the beauty and simplicity of everyday actions and experiences.
Amorsolo is a dedicated visual rambler of the countryside, an artist who passionately experiences the terrain through which he hikes.
As a result, his paintings reflect the very intensity and directness of his love of nature, and are dedicated to a romantic style of honesty
in recording it.
The nude woman facing the child is by itself a fascinating work of art, and may be the only academic exception to the consensus that
Amorsolo goes outside of academic canons by posing figures not in the studio where light could be controlled, but in the outdoors, under
the shifting light of the heavens. With his backlighting technique, he even catches in paint the effect of bright sunlight.
Amorsolo’s canvases are sparsely populated, but once everything had been arranged, Amorsolo would make a detailed drawing of every
human figure in the pose the composition dictated.
Amorsolo’s works are not the result of any studio defined, culturally filtered notion of landscape as such, but reflects instead a very
particular kind of visual vocabulary of forms — we see and feel the light of the midday sun; we perceive the cool, onrushing river, even the
wetness of the clothes being washed.
If the composition doesn’t have Amorsolo’s all-encompassing skies, it shows great skill at showing light reflected from the rushing water.
The river is a movement of rich shades of green and ochres. Everywhere life is expressed in light.
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126
Betsy Westendorp (b.1927)
Pai nti ng #962- 97
oi l on c a n va s
56” x 9 0 ” (1 4 2 c m x 2 2 9 cm )
P 600,000
Provenance:
Taal Lake, formerly known as Bombon Lake, is a freshwater lake in the province of Batangas, on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The lake fills
the Taal Caldera, a large volcano caldera found by very large eruptions between 500,000 and 100,000 years ago...Because the lake was previously
connected to the sea, it is home to many endemic species that have evolved and have adapted to the desalination of the lake waters... Regular
tours of the lake are available to tourists. After crossing the lake, visitors travel to the top of Volcano Island on horseback. During the trip up and
down the mountain, visitors are treated to a stunning view of the lake and its surroundings." Thus the encyclopedia notes on the famed "lake
within a volcano in a lake within an island in the Pacific Ocean."
And lost in all these dry, cold historical and geological facts is the spirit of the place, the poetry of the landscape, the heart of the countryside.
Fortunately, it is through the eyes of artists, such as Betsy Westendorp Brias, in whose sensitive and sympathetic spirit we catch a glimpse of the
true essence of a place. In her magnificent view of Taal, we are thrilled by the sheer exhilaration of open space, with its delicately tinted blue
skies, flooded by a bracing gentle light, enlivened by just the right flicker of scintillating red-orange colors. Renowned for her vivid and luxuriant
floral paintings, Westendorp opted this time for the qualities of restraint and subtlety in evoking the memory of an oft-visited site. In her almost
minimalist and spare treatment of a too familiar vista, Westendorp presents a refreshed vision for our jaded eyes and invites us to enter into her
painting's silence and solitude.
Bestowed in 2008 with a Presidential Medal of Merit, Spanish-born Betsy Westendorp is a well-loved figure in the Philippine cultural community.
-Cid Reyes
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(a.)
(b.)
127
Coronation Regalia Of A Moro Sultan
earl y 20t h C e nt ur y
Di adem :
G ol d
a. ) H : 4 1 /2 ” (1 1 c m )
diameter : 7 ” (1 8 c m )
Dagger:
G ol d an d St eel
b. ) L: 1 6 ” (4 1 c m)
P 200,000
Provenance:
Mindanao
Sultan Pendatun
Whenever a Muslim Chieftain was proclaimed Sultan, he always wore a gold-hilted dagger and a golden diadem during his investiture to show
his superiority over his subjects. These coronation regalia were used during the investiture of a Sultan. Pieces like these are extremely rare and
very difficult to acquire.
The diadem is pierced and chased from a sheet of low-carat gold or tumbaga. It is composed of a narrow adjustable fillet band with thin parallel
bands of flattened wire flanking a series of small lobes with tiny teardrops at the joints. A narrow scalloped border is at the bottom of the fillet.
The front of the diadem has a central flower with a garnet cabochon at the center resting on and surrounded by intricate okir scrolls of great
fluidity.
The dagger, on the other hand, has a beautiful curvy blade decorated with an okir pattern on both sides of the blade. The hilt is of gold and
is completely ornamented with chasing and filigree work. The sheath of the dagger is completely overlaid with gold sheet that has been chased
with okir scrollwork following the same pattern as that of the diadem. Portions of the sheath are decorated with gold filigree wire and tiny
golden sequins.
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128
Nstra. Sra Del Carmen In A Virina
19th C e nt ur y
I v ory, B a t i c ul i n g Wo od , S ilv e r, G o ld , G o ld L e af, H u m an Ha ir a n d G la ss
wi th v i r i na : H: 2 9 1 /2 ” x L : 1 0 1 / 2 ” x W: 1 0 1 / 2 ” ( 7 5 cm x 2 7 c m x 2 7 c m )
i vory: H: 1 4 ” x L: 5 1 /2 ” ( 3 6 cm x 1 4 cm )
P 200,000
Provenance:
Manila
During the late 18th and early 19th centuries glass hurricane lamps were used to
prevent the light of a candle from being blown off by a passing wind. Tall hurricane lamps open at both ends and made with a bulbous body were used
to surround a candle on a candlestick. In the late 19th century, when the practice
of encasing santos in glass domes became popular, the lamps were converted to
hold santos and were placed on turned and carved wooded bases and the opening
at the top was covered by a turned and carved lid with a finial. Because their shape
resembles that of the original Coca-Cola bottle, they were called Coca-Cola virinas
by collectors today.
This particular virina stands on a beautifully turned and carved base standing on
three ball feet. The base has two levels, the first being just a plain ring molding
surmounted by a spool and topped by a bead molding with a frieze of upright
acanthus leaves to hold the glass in place. The turned cover of the lamp is carved
with a fringe of tiny scallops beneath a fine gadroon border. A beaded molding
above is topped by a coronet of acanthus leaves with a turned finial at the center.
The carvings were originally gilded and painted in polychrome, but only vestiges
remain.
The statue inside the virinais that of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. The Virgin has an ivory head and hands, while the head, hands and feet of the Christ Child are of ivory.
The body and the cloud base is 18th century in style, but the ivory faces and the
painting of the image is of the early 20th century. The crowns of both the Virgin
and Child are of gold and are 18th century in inspiration. The doceestrellas or halo
with the twelve stars is parcel gilt with the rays alternating in silver and gold. Both
images are carrying cloth scapulars edged with a chased gold border and stand on
a completely gilded peana or base carved in the shape of a flower.
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Angelito Antonio (b.1939)
Moth e r a nd C hild
oil on w ood
36” x 3 2 1 /2 ” (9 1 c m x 8 3 cm )
P 200,000
Modern Master Angelito Antonio has crafted a genius style
that has fused expressionism and figurative abstraction with
his folk genre themes. Potent is his art, leaving
much to the expressive nature of his renditions without
foregoing the figurative aspect of which. Though most
noted for his works that border on cubist, his oeuvre
has featured various stylistic approaches — from his dark
imagery, to his more brilliant cubism and abstraction.
In this very work from 1975, we note the very abstract
nature of the composition — a very modern depiction
of the timeless Madonna and Child theme. By this time,
Antonio has veered away from his somber imagery of the 60s,
and transitioned to the more provocative yellows — which are
to later evolve into his signature acidic yellows.
Strongly expressive is the work, bearing a character that is
more abstract than figurative. Powerfully captivating is
Antonio’s approach to abstraction, leaving much for the
viewer to surmise. The emotional and semiotic qualities
of the whole, strongly pervading the work in all its context.
A truly masterful piece by the iconic modern.
130
Ronson Culibrina (b.1991)
I ’m A frai d That I f You L ooked A t A Thi ng Long
Enough, I t L os es A l l O f I ts M eani ng
o il o n c a n va s
3 0 ” x 2 4 ” (7 6 c m x 6 1 c m )
P 80,000
Ronson Culibrina's piece is named "IM AFRAID THAT IF YOU
LOOKED AT A THING LONG ENOUGH, IT LOSES ALL OF IT'S
MEANING ". Rather than believing in a cosmic purpose under a
divine guidance, Culibrina's work argues that, if you observe the
universe long enough, you discover its workings are nothing more
than accidents, and existence is without significant
meaning or reward. Perhaps, for the artist, that is what makes the
whole setup miraculous.
Ronson Culibrina (b. 1991) received his degree in Fine Arts at the
Technological University of the Philippines in Manila. Since 2008, he
has participated in group shows here and abroad and recently held
simultaneous solo shows last July 2016 at the Ayala Museum and
in Galerie Michael Janssen Berlin. He is a recipient of several awards
including the Grand Prize.23rd Philippine Long Distance Telephone
Company painting Competition (2009); Juror's Choice,Philippine
National Oil Company Painting
Competition (2010).
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Chri s t
o il o n c a n va s
3 0 ” x 7 1 /2 ” (7 6 c m x 1 9 c m )
P 500,000
This piece is accompanied by a certificate issued by Mr. Andrew
Ang confirming the authenticity of this lot
Ang Kiukok’s faith and that of his strong Catholic background has made
quite an impression in his body of work that takes its cues from cubism and
surrealism.
While by and large his pieces were depictions of pain, anguish and suffering
— which the artist said was but a reflection of the volatile world around him
— he also rendered the image of Jesus Christ in similar situations: on the
cross, crowned with thorns, or as the Pieta. Although, some works feature
less distraught than others.
This very work, atypical of Kiukok’s grotesque brand of figurative
expressionism, features a similar angular rendition of Christ — more
figurative than expressive, moreso with his attention to detail. This
powerful work is pervaded by a serenity in the subject, from the palette
of the subject to the expression exhibited by which. The subdued red set
as the backdrop makes for a striking emotional display, injecting
a painful, piercing subtlety into the composition.
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(a.)
(b.)
Property from The Dr. and mrs. victor a. reyes collection
132
Hernando R. Ocampo (1911-1978)
Pas sag e ( Tr ipt y c h)
a.) I am ( le f t pa ne l)
b .) I Lo v e ( c e nt e r pa n e l )
c.) I Wa s ( r ight pa ne l )
oi l on c a n va s
36” x 1 0 8 ” (9 1 c m x 2 7 4 cm )
P 10,000,000
Provenance:
Commissioned and acquired directly from the artist by Dr. and Mrs. Victor A. Reyes
Literature:
(illustrated)
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(c.)
(studies)
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1911 Jose Rizal Monument In Cebu Design
Turn-of - t he- C ent ur y
Paper a n d In k
11” x 6 1 /2 ” (2 8 c m x 1 7 cm )
P 120,000
Provenance:
Rizal Family
Auction House in Spain
1911 original pen and ink drawing for the Jose Rizal monument in Cebu including the Inaugural Program, the Renacimiento Filipino Revista
Ilustrada magazine showing a picture of the monument on its cover and an inside ariticle, and two other printed memorabilia. This monument
pre-dates the Rizal National Monument at the Luneta, which was erected a year later.
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Rodel Tapaya (b.1980)
Unti tl e d
signed a n d d a t ed 2 0 0 6 ( lo w e r le f t)
mixed m edi a
55” x 3 4 ” (1 4 0 c m x 8 6 cm )
P 200,000
Strange, other-worldly, fantastic, mythical. Such are the themes that consume Rodel Tapaya’s body of work, imagery that has since become his
voice — and from which he has become known as an artist.
Yet, his early works were predominantly more figurative in bent; his images more mundane and everyday. Still, as this piece from 2006
indicates, Tapaya’s canvas was already showing signs of his desire to break free; to utilize symbolisms and complex compositions drawn from a
fantasy-filled youth, to tell imaginative tales that shows us how he playfully views the world.
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Jeho Bitancor (b.1967)
Un ti tl e d
oil on c a nva s
60” x 7 2 ” (1 5 2 c m x 1 8 3 cm )
P 120,000
Jeho Bitancor’s social realist themes have time and again made strong impressions on their audiences. Narrative in nature, the powerful imagery
in Bitancor’s works serve as commentary on social issues that plague our country — all this, while allegorically laying into the work some subtleties
and hints of certain themes that he emphasizes. In this very work, we are welcomed into an urban underworld-like setting, populated by both
destitute individuals and common-folk.
A strongly incorporated allegory in the work is sight & blindness. As there are representations of physical blindness and their plea for sympathy
present, the piece would appear to directly be a representation of that very desperation felt by the impoverished. An ironic twist to the piece,
however, can be seen as a satement on the plaque ‘Maawa sa Bulag’ (Pity the Blind) — as this may apply to the beggars and vagabonds, such
statement may also refer to those who turn their blind eye to these problems.
As can be seen in the evasive body language of the better dressed individuals in the composition, the work gives us this ironic narrative
— a strong, impactful message underlying the melancholy and gloom.
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Un ti tl e d
oil on c a n va s
24” x 3 8 ” (6 1 c m x 9 7 cm )
P 400,000
Provenance:
Private Collection, Bulacan
Borne from the deep recesses of Juvenal Sanso’s brilliant mind are the stunning landscapes and flora that have time and again left audiences
in awe and allure. The iconic rock formations and atmospheric ambience have captivated the hearts of enthusiasts and collectors alike — which
is nothing new for the multi-award-winning artist, whose entire body of work has been received well.
There have been many renditions of the very theme, each bearing an air of wistfulness. The trauma of World War II had taken its toll on Sanso,
and the distraught of the time reflected in his work. As the years passed, the gruesome had transitioned to the poetic, and the darkness turned
into brilliance as Sanso slowly found serenity.
This very work, among the pieces from Sanso’s transition period, features a lonesome desolate scenery. The Sanso moon, seeming to set,
is enveloped by the smog over the vast expanse — the towering spires standing firmly in the grim setting bereft of all life.
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Property from the Adrian and teresita cristobal collection
137
Adam And Eve In A Virina
4th Qua r t e r of t he 1 9 th C e n tu r y
I v ory, B a t i c u l i n g Wo od , S ilv e r, S ilv e r an d G o ld Th re ad s, Hu m a n Ha ir a n d G la ss
wi th v i r i n a : H: 2 4 ” x C : 1 0 ” ( 6 1 cm x 2 5 cm )
i vory: H: 1 1 3 /4 ” x L: 5 1 / 2 ” x W: 2 3 / 4 ” ( 3 0 cm x 1 4 cm x 7 c m )
i vory: H: 1 1 1 /4 ” x L: 3 1 / 4 ” x W: 2 1 / 2 ” ( 2 9 cm x 8 cm x 6 c m )
P 300,000
Provenance:
Manila
This tableau depicting Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden is unique. The very few
representations of the first Man and Woman extant are usually miniature figures carved
of solid ivory that were made in the 18th century and assembled with other figures to form
dioramas depicting stories from the Bible. Later in the late 19th century, miniature glass
figurines were made in the Bilibid Prison to decorate the bases of Calvary and Nativity scenes
that were encased in glass domes.
The statues in this tableau are of wood with ivory heads, hands and feet. They have wigs
made of human hair and are wearing silver leaves and flowers to cover their private parts.
The figures are standing on a rocky base carved with tufts of grass and decorated with
clumps of flowers made of flat silver threads. A silver tree with silver leaves and flowers
en tremblant or mounted on springs, is at the rear between the statues. This tree was
originally part of a ramillete or branch of leaves and flowers that were used to decorate
the andas or floats of santos during processions. Entwined around the tree trunk is a snake
with a long, thin body wrapped in gold thread. It has a disproportionately large wooden
head and seems to be offering to Adam an apple at its jaw.
The statues are encased by a virina or glass dome. After the opening of the Suez Canal
in 1869 glass domes protecting flower arrangements in small porcelain vases began to be
imported from France. Initially, these flower arrangements were placed on top of center
or side tables in the sala, but eventually, somebody had the bright idea of using them to
encase ivory santos clothed in gold-embroidered vestments. The hermetically sealed domes
prevented the air from tarnishing the gold embroidery and the gilding of the bases.
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Property from the Erlinda enriquez-panlilio collection
138
Juan M. Arellano (1888-1960)
Un ti tl e d
oil on m a son i t e boa r d
12” x 1 5 ” (3 0 c m x 3 8 cm )
P 120,000
Artist Juan M. Arellano, who had trained under
masters Lorenzo Guerrero, Toribio Antillon, and
Fabian de la Rosa, showed a true passion for the
arts. Despite this, he pursued architecture and
travelled to the United States as one of the first
pensionados in architecture. After much
contribution to the pre-war Philippine skyline,
Arellano retired in 1956 — it was right after this
retirement that he ventured back into painting.
Juan M. Arellano’s oeuvre has featured the idyllic
and the serene, capturing very Filipino scenery
and immortalizing such on his canvas.
In 1960, he exhibited his works at the Manila YMCA;
he passed away on December 5th of the same year.
139
Antonio Leaño (b.1963)
U nti tl ed
in d u stria l m ed ia o n c a n va s
3 6 ” x 2 4 ” (9 1 c m x 6 1 c m )
P 60,000
Antonio Leaño’s body of work has featured quite a few themes — from the
rancid and dark, to the transcendent and abstract.
It was at the turn of the 21st Century that Leaño had veered his brush
towards the more conceptual. It was around this time that he had created
the texturized mixed media works, mostly of industrial material, that resonate
of tranquility.
This very piece from 2003 is among those works — a very evocative work.
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140
Jorge Pineda (1879-1946)
Mag ba ba nig
oil on c a nva s
26” x 1 9 ” (6 6 c m x 4 8 cm )
P 800,000
Provenance:
This piece is accompanied by a certificate
issued by Mr. Jose Pineda confirming the
authenticity of this lot
As a painter, the forte of Jorge Pineda was genre.
At the St. Louis Exposition of 1904, while still a
“student”, his Buyo Chewers (Last Buyeras) won
a bronze medal. This picture must have struck the
Norte Americanos who saw it, as a colorful bit of
curio among the entries of the more urbane Luna,
Hidalgo and De la Rosa — all of which won gold and
silver medals. As a painter, he was a peer to Fernando
Amorsolo, but less prolific. Yet, he explored subjects
outside those of the Amorsolo School.
Pineda emulated Don Fabian de la Rosa at one point.
Yet, their difference is that when Don Fabian depicted
people from the lower classes, the result had an
aristocratic detachment from them. Pineda was more
at ease with these people — he was with them. As
a resident cartoonist in the prewar Philippines Free
Press, Pineda illustrated the image of the symbolic
Filipino everyman character Juan de la Cruz wearing a
barong, a native salakot, and tsinelas.
Among his finest portrayals are of the Filipino at work
and play, particularly those he did when he was well
into the middle age. Unlike Amorsolo, who all his life
found beauty only in the young, Pineda saw it in the mature faces of the elderly and painted it with a middle-aged artist’s understanding of the
inner strengths and virtues shaped by many years of experience.
This painting is a study of ruggedness softened by an insight into the interior that is calm and confident, while the late morning or afternoon light
shines with a contrasting sharpness. Like his “Last Buyeras”, the scene takes place in the interiors of a rural house.
The woman’s aging face gently glows in the reflected golden light cast by the window. The rest of the reflected natural light is cast by the
sprawling “banig” she is working on.
By her side are brightly colored banig bunched together as if to say that no simple way of living should stop one from being personally couth and
tidy. “What one is made to see is more than a careful balancing of bright and shadowy areas and positive/negative spaces, but a fairly eloquent
statement of a life-style of making do.
The compact, meticulous rendering of Filipinos at work and at play disclosed an image of a gentle, sensible and glowingly industrious people
designed to make every Filipino proud to identify with. And this was just the image needed to bolster the pro-independence, anti-U.S. editorial
policies of the La Renacimiento, another publication where he worked in the years before the First World War. And since, Pineda himself has
accurately repeated certain themes, such as “Sungkaan” — who knows if the idea has occurred to the Nationalist in him to repeat the
“Magbabanig” but this time, weaving a sprawling national flag?
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141
Alfredo Esquillo Jr. (b.1972)
M al l Cul ture
m ix ed m ed ia
3 6 ” x 2 4 ” (9 2 c m x 6 1 c m )
P 100,000
Provenance:
Hiraya Gallery
Alfredo Esquillo Jr. has come to be known for his keen eye for detail,
and his tableaux of Philippine social life that feature his surreal take on the
ironies and contradictions present thereabout. His art plays on themes
from the religious to the socio-cultural, shedding light on the ills borne of
Filipino tradition and the like.
Esquillo’s clever use of thematic elements makes for a very comedic and
scrutinizing dialect. Very deliberate with his intent, Esquillo puts into visual
commentary the paradoxical ideologies that trouble him — as in this piece,
the escapist nature of the favorite Filipino getaway known as the mall.
This work from 1997 blatantly and humorously depicts the very
consumerism that has engulfed the masses. The piece alludes to the
fallacious and the ironic, as “SHOP TILL YOU DROP” is engraved opposite
to a much finer “WHILE SUPPLY LASTS”. Subliminally laid into the
composition is a hint of reality, manifested in the smoggy, congested
cityscape that is neglected due to the alluring fantasy of ‘Mall Life’.
A brilliant interplay of simple themes of depth, Esquillo executes the work
masterfully — more so with his implied, subliminal context.
142
Nona Garcia (b.1978)
For Lea se
si gned a nd d a t ed 2 0 1 1 ( v e rs o )
photom on t a g e
15” x 2 0 ” (3 8 c m x 5 1 cm )
P 50,000
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Attrib. to Mariano Asuncion
Padre A m br osio Ba u ti s ta
C i rca 1 8 8 0 s
oil on c a n va s
39” x 2 7 1 /4 ” (9 9 c m x 6 9 cm )
P 500,000
Provenance:
Manila
This finely made portrait is that of Don Ambrosio Bautista who was born on December 7, 1843. He was ordained a priest on December 24,
1869 and became coadjutor of Meycauayan Parish Church. On January 1, 1872 he was appointed the Chaplain of the Naval Station on
Corregidor Island. On September 20, 1874 he became Cura Encorno Of Maragondon Church in Cavite. On March 6, 1878 he became coadjutor
of Pasig and was appointed interim Parish Priest of San Jose, Bulacan on December 26, 1882. On April 1, 1883, he became coadjutor of Bocaue,
Bulacan.
This portrait was painted while he was occupying his last position and is attributed to Mariano Asuncion.
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144
Warri or
signed a n d d a t ed 1 9 7 1
brass
H : 21 1/4 ” x L: 1 4 1 /2 ” x W: 1 4 ” ( 5 4 cm x 3 7 cm x 3 6 cm )
P 300,000
Provenance:
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Property from the don luis araneta collection
145
Anita Magsaysay-Ho (1914-2012)
Wo men w it h Ba sk e t s
tapestr y
70 1/2” x 3 8 1 /2 ” (1 7 9 cm x 9 8 cm )
P 500,000
Anita Magsaysay-Ho depicted her iconic women not only on the canvas, but also on ceramics
(like Jose Joya) and tapestries like (Federico Aguilar Alcuaz). On ceramics she depicted her women
in black, red and dark brown using the Japanese rakuyaki technique. Blacks, reds and browns also
appear on her tapestry work.
While tapestries have been created for many centuries, what distinguishes the contemporary art
from its prewar history is the domination of the artist as weaver in the contemporary medium.
This trend had its start in 1950s France where one of the "cartoonists" for Aubusson Tapestry, Jean
Lurçat, spearheaded a revival of the medium by stringent color selection, thus simplifying production,
and by organizing a series of Biennial exhibits held in Lausanne, Switzerland.
What Central and Eastern Europe (whether it be Lausanne, Poland or Brno) contributed to the newly
realized field of art weaving, termed "contemporary tapestry", was the option for working with texture,
with a variety of materials and with the freedom for individuality in design. The simplicity of Anita
Magsaysay-Ho’s tapestry design belies years of refining her art.
Beginning her studies at the University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts at the age of 13
— accompanied by a nanny — she studied with Fabian de la Rosa, Vicente Rivera y Mir and also Fernando and Pablo Amorsolo.
Fernando Amorsolo was her landscape teacher, while Pablo Amorsolo taught her drawing.
She also received private tutoring from the noted cartoonist Ireneo Miranda. She received additional instruction at the UP’s School of Design
where her instructors included Victorio Edades and Enrique Ruiz, and at the “Atelier of Modern Art” founded by Edades.
In the 1930s Anita Magsaysay travelled to the United States where she continued her studies at the Cranbrook Academy in Michigan.
Anita also took courses in oil painting, and drawing at the Art Students’ League in New York City
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146
Un ti tl e d
C a. 198 0
acryl i c o n b oa r d
18” x 2 4 ” (4 6 c m x 6 1 cm )
P 120,000
In the many works by iconic modern Juvenal Sanso,
noticeable is his stylistic evolution — from the
somber and dark, to the brilliant and joyous.
His subjects also vary, with his later works featuring
a more whimsical, surrealist tone. One thing that
has been present throughout his oeuvre, however,
is his never-failing ability to conceptualize and
execute the lush, strong, and vivid imagery borne
from his imagination.
In this very work, we are welcomed into one of the
more vibrant landscapes of the modern maestro. Sanso’s signature moon illuminates the ‘rockscape’, as the backdrop faintly fades in the distance.
The arid atmosphere pervades the piece, giving character to the desolate setting rid of all living things.
147
Jon Jaylo (b.1975)
Th e B e lie v e r ' s W isdo m
oil on c a n va s
15 1/4” x 3 9 ” (3 9 c m x 9 9 cm )
P 120,000
Provenance:
West Gallery
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Jaylo’s profound surrealism draws inspiration directly from his experiences, dreams and daily life.
Vigorous and potent is Jaylo’s brand of art, where the whimsical oddity of the whole meld with his
hyperrealistic technique evokes a puzzling ‘need’ to understand the off-beat magic.
This very piece features a recurring theme in Jaylo’s art — the apple with an eye. A very powerful
thematic element is the apple, which bears with it numerous implications; from that of lineage and
kin to prosperity and even temptation. The eyes ominously gaze at the male figure — as if to heavily
observe him to the point of scrutiny. A foreboding wistfulness is hinted at, but ever so subtly,
vacating all presumptions from the work.
The complex interplay of ideas, having been done so subtly and eloquently make for
a relatable piece in all its contextual depth. This very work is from 2011, at around which time Jaylo
held major shows internationally – posting exhibits in galleries in the USA, Germany and
the Philippines.
148
Edwin Wilwayco (b.1952)
a.) U nti tl ed 1
o il o n c a n va s
4 9 ” x 1 0 ” (1 2 4 c m x 2 5 c m )
b.) U nti tl ed 2
o il o n c a n va s
4 9 ” x 1 0 ” (1 2 4 c m x 2 5 c m )
P 160,000
An internationally renowned, multi-award-winning
artist, Edwin Wilwayco has captured the hearts of
many with his eloquent, rhythmic style. Dynamic in
nature, his very expressive approach to his art is akin
to that of water in motion. Calming in a sense, yet
still greatly evocative.
Deriving his forms from nature and the like,
Wilwayco’s themes bear a very captivating quality.
His dominant use of blue is intellectual and alluring
— noting also the artist’s inclination to the color for
its powerful emotional qualities.
A protégé of the late Jose Joya, Wilwayco has
undoubtedly taken influence from Joya — but
despite such, Wilwayco’s creativity shines through,
flaunting an aesthetic all his own. Wilwayco’s thick,
dynamic use of paint has allowed him to texturize his
planes — learning from his mentor, and augmenting
which with his own stylistic genius.
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Arturo Luz (b.1926)
M us i c i ans
en a m el o n p a n el
2 8 ” x 5 0 ” (7 1 c m x 1 2 7 c m )
P 6,000,000
Literature:
CURATED AUCTION, Leon Gallery, Makati City, 2016, p. 30-33
(illustrated)
In mythology, Mercury plays a pipe, and the viewer can almost hear the
sweet melodious sounds coming from his cool, velvety instrument.
Arturo Luz has always balanced the influences of two visual cultures, east
and west. Yet neither dominates Luz’ which is about individual expression
transcending both cultural influences.
Making art which has shaken off the influences of other artists and other
styles to the point where one recognizes it as representative of one’s own
creative instincts takes discipline and integrity. Moving from the mainstream
and its requisite discipline to another after years of practice compounds the
challenge.
Luz has taken his oeuvre further than most during his career. He has
developed a subtle imagery for an image overloaded age.
Simply, he leaves the viewer room to “complete” the painting experience
in their mind.
Arturo Luz has, over the past half century, moved from the more
spontaneous expression of the everyday world around him to the more
formal approach to his art, a crystallizing towards a stylistic direction, that
he is known for today.
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150
Macario Vitalis (1898-1990)
L ands c ape
sig n ed a n d d a ted 1 9 8 4 (lo w er rig ht )
o il o n c a n va s
1 7 1 /2 ” x 2 1 1 /2 ” (4 4 c m x 5 5 c m)
P 200,000
Provenance:
with Finale Art File
Macario Vitalis’ brand of art features a very strong
use of color. His fauvist approach to his work has
allowed his planar and pointillist styles to stand out,
where his palette selection dictates the emotion that
pervades the setting — the brilliance or gloom of
which, are borne solely from his emotion.
In this landscape from 1984, we can see Vitalis’
transition towards pointillism despite the planar qualities still present. A wistfulness is in the air, as the
subdued, cool hues induce the calming atmosphere.
Vitalis’ palette and aesthetic never fail to evoke
emotion so gracefully.
151
Ronald Ventura (b.1973)
Pattern
signed a n d d a t ed 2 0 0 2 ( b o tto m )
oi l on c a n va s
20” x 1 5 ” (5 1 c m x 3 8 cm )
P 400,000
Provenance:
Drawing Room
Perfection of form and human anatomy. No other contemporary Filipino
artist has had the exceptional ability to execute such figurations than Ronald
Ventura. Using this as the foundation of his works, he thus proceeds to create
out of this world compositions where he can venture into commentary and
opinion on one end, and turn whimsical in another.
Either way, Ventura takes pleasure in juxtaposition, melding various objects
(in this case a torso and a guitar set against a wood burled backdrop) to form
an image that is meant to “layer different realities” and to draw attention to
his subjects — all of which contain hidden meanings that are more than meets
the eye.
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Ivory Crucifix
19th C e nt ur y
I v ory, K a ma g on g a nd S ilv e r
crucifix: H: 2 2 ” x L: 1 2 ” x W: 3 ” ( 5 6 cm x 3 0 cm x 8 cm)
i vory: H: 1 2 1 /2 ” x L: 8 1 / 4 ” x W: 2 ” ( 3 1 cm x 2 1 cm x 5 c m )
P 220,000
Provenance:
Manila
Every house during the Spanish Colonial Period always had a crucifix.
The lower classes were content with having a plain wooden cross, or even one
just painted on the wall of their bahay kubo. Those better off would have the figure
of Christ carved in wood, but the upper classes had to have one with the corpus
done in ivory.
This particular crucifix has an ivory Cristo nailed to a kamagong cross decorated with
silver gilt accoutrements. The torso, including its perizonium or loincloth is carved
from a single piece of ivory and has the face of Christ looking up as if asking,
“Why have you forsaken me?”. The image once had a crown of thorns and
trespotencias, the three rays emanating from the pate that symbolize Christ’s
potencies or power, both of which have been lost.
The cross has silver gilt cantoneras or terminals on four ends, signifying that it was
meant to be hung on a wall. If there were only three, it would have been mounted
on a wooden base. Each cantonera is made from a small silver sheet embossed and
chased with a molding embellished with a design of leaves. Above the head of the
figure is attached the INRI, also of gilded silver, with its stylized cartouche embossed
and chased with a decorative surround of flowers and leaves.
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Sti l l LIf e
18” x 3 6 ” (4 6 c m x 9 1 cm )
P 600,000
This piece is accompanied by a certificate issued by Finale Art File confirming the authenticity of this lot
Ang Kiukok’s stylistic leanings have often (if not always) featured a cubistic quality. There is a uniqueness in his approach to his aesthetic
— where the once rigid, and later on more expressive take on forms have given viewers a very evocative brand of art.
It is in Kiukok’s ability to visually embody angst, anguish, and pain with his subjects that makes for his creations’ inimitable emotional quality.
Even in his more abstracted tablescapes and the like, the piercing emotional undertone of Kiukok’s works truly make their power felt.
This very work from 1971 is among the artist’s earlier creations. Done in watercolor, Kiukok puts forth his technical prowess in this
abstracted tablescape. Masterful is his rendition, capturing the setting in all its detail while still alluding to the dark undercurrent
he intends. An excellent example of the artist’s restrain and genius.
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Un ti tl e d
si gned a nd d a t ed (l o w e r rig h t)
oil on w ood
26” x 3 7 1 /2 ” (6 6 c m x 9 5 cm )
P 400,000
Lovely and magical are Romeo Tabuena’s depictions of bucolic Mexico. The intricacy of the elements laid into his work meld with his cubistic
aesthetic make for a charming, lyrical composition. Internationally renowned for his personal brand of cubism, Tabuena’s distinct style has
captivated and won the hearts of collectors and patrons all over the world.
This very work is among his creations done in Mexico. A gloominess in the air, as the boatman sculls across the river, with the setting sun
dimming the day to dusk.
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155
Barcel ona
19 1/2” x 2 2 ” (5 0 c m x 5 6 cm )
P 140,000
Provenance:
Private Collection, Barcelona, Spain
156
Betsy Westendorp (b.1927)
Fl o wers
oil on w ood
15” x 1 8 ” (3 8 c m x 4 6 cm )
P 80,000
Known for her realism and atmospheric, dream-like scenery,
Betsy Westendorp has forged her own brand of art —
a soothing concoction of intricate detail and ambience.
Her still lifes bear with them a wistfulness that pervades the
setting. Her themes are redolent of classical realism with
a tone of tranquility to accompany the subdued brilliance
of her subjects, bringing forth the inimitable character
present in all of Westendorp’s creations.
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This painting of a city from the distance is dynamic in composition and
charged with a plastic force all Alcuaz’ own. The viewer must admire the rich,
dark palette, fluent brushwork, and Alcuaz’ mastery of unconventional design
and composition. Much of what Federico Aguilar Alcuaz produced in the
1960s, in which every canvas is a full house of vibrating, counterpointing and
swirling abstract motifs, attests to the restless temperament of this inveterate
jetsetter.
In 1963, at his first solo exhibition, his abstracts were dark and convoluted,
allusive of organic shapes — vegetal or visceral. They had the energy and
spontaneity of subconscious, but of unusually vivid colors and textures, with
much of their interest in the play of shapes. One of his most notable subjects
for landscapes had been the Walled City, of which he has done a panoramic
mural.
157
Norma Belleza (b.1939)
Ven dor s
oil on c a n va s
36” x 5 0 ” (9 1 c m x 1 2 7 cm )
P 120,000
Multi-award-winning artist Norma Belleza has come to be known for her colorful take on folk genre. The common-women — potters, vendors
and the like — populate her canvases, laboring away or performing motherly duties.
Initially creating works that feature dark, somber imagery with religious themes, Belleza’s art later veered towards the more colorful. This very
work is among her earlier pieces, which gives us a glimpse into the rustic Filipina lifestyle then. A lovely vignette of the days past.
Strong and independent are the women in Belleza’s art — their fortitude and resilience exemplified in their labor, the beauty of their
simplicity embellished by the artist’s palette. There is much that can be surmised by the figures in the composition, and even more left
to feel. Undoubtedly a strong work by the renowned modernist.
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158
Roman Ongpin & El 82 Memorabilia
Late 19 t h C ent ur y
P 250,000
Provenance:
Manila
Roman Ongpin Collection
On March 1882, Roman Ongpin (1847-1912) founded the famous ‘El 82’, the first Filipino hardware
store that sold goods at fixed prices. His shop also sold art supplies and was patronized by the local
artists of the time. A staunch nationalist, Ongpin patronized all things Filipino and always wore the
Barong Tagalog. His store also became a convenient meeting place for Filipinos and a source of
propaganda updates and events of the day. During the Revolution, he secretly supported the
Katipuneros and used his store as a conduit for the importation of arms and ammunition for the
Filipino Army.
He continued his unwavering support to the Filipino cause even during the American colonial regime
and was imprisoned for his patriotic ideas of freedom. Active in civic works, he was president of Asilo
de Invalidos de Guerra, an institution for the disabled Philippine-American War veterans and helped
maintain the Gota de Leche, a charity organized to provide milk to needy infants. He was a staunch
supporter of the fiery nationalist Isabelo de los Reyes, becoming the first treasurer of Union Obrera de Filipinas, a labor union.
Don Roman married Pascuala Domingo, the granddaughter of the country's first artist Damian Domingo. They had nineteen children.
Included herewith are the following memorabilia:
(1) A wooden palette with “EL * 82” OBSEQUIO A SUS FAVORECEDORES” at upper left and oil painting of “a woman milking cow.”
(2) Circa 1890s, an old “’El 82’ OBSEQUIO A SUS FAVORECEDORES” wooden picture frame with three
Spanish Philippines vintage photographs.
(3) Circa 1890s to early 1900s, another old wooden picture frame with two photos of Roman Ongpin
and El 82 illustraded advertisements.
(4) Circa 1890s, “EL 82 / MANILA” 4-inch high bottle with embossed text.
(5) 1898 September 10 issue, La Independencia newspaper entire with “El 82” advertisement about the transfer of the shop to Calle San Jacinto
num. 28, Manila.
(6) 1898 September 30 issue, La Independencia newspaper entire with “El 82” advertisement
showing the list of products and corresponding volume or quantity and prices at the shop at
Calle San Jacinto num. 28, Manila.
(7) Calendario Para El Ano de 1899 de El 82 Hechopara regular a los Parroquianos de
estatienda. Manila Calle Rosario, Provisionalmente, S. Jacinto No. 28, Manila: —1898.
(8) Circa 1899, an old advertisement of “El 82” at Calle San Jacinto, numero 28, taken from the back cover of a book by Isabelo de los Reyes as
indicated on reverse page.
(9) An old advertisement of “El 82” Almacen de Pinturas, Plaza de Binondo, Manila.
(10) 1908 June 6, “El 82” receipt on printed stationery amounting to P12.30, with rectangular marking of the branch of the paint shop at Colon
230, Manila.
(11) 1910 January 15, “El 82” receipt on printed stationery amounting to P2.05, with original signature of Roman Ongpin.
(12) 1911 November 14 issue, cover page of Renacimiento Filipino RevistaIlustrada magazine, Ano II, Num. 66, showing the new building of “El
82” located at Plaza Calderon de la Barca, Binondo, Manila, as designed by Architect Arcadio Arellano.
(13) An old advertisement of “El 82” in Plaza de Binondo, Manila showing a picture of the new building, taken from Renacimiento Filipino
RevistaIlustrada magazine.
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(13) An old advertisement of “El 82” in Plaza de Binondo, Manila showing a picture of the new building, taken from Renacimiento Filipino
RevistaIlustrada magazine.
(14) 1918 May 21, picture post card with dedication addressed to Jorge Pineda, signed by Alfonso Ongpin who is in the photograph.
(15) n.d., picture post card of a European painting, on reverse: A. T. Ongpin, Colon 230. Binondo, Manila, I.F.
(16) 1919 January 1, picture post card of “El 82” Los Hijos de Roman Ongpin with New Year greetings.
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M angangal akal
sig n ed a n d d a ted 1 9 8 0 (u p p er rig h t)
o il o n c a n va s
3 5 ” x 5 7 ” (8 9 c m x 1 4 5 c m )
P 6,000,000
Provenance:
Donated by the artist to Ateneo High School Class of 1955
for a class fund-raising auction held in 1980 to benefit
Ateneo,
Won by Antonio P. Gatmaitan,
Acquired from the above by Sonia Lorenzo,
Acquired from the above by Flordelis Aguenza, thence by
descent
Literature:
Ramon N. Villegas & Lisa Guerrero Nakpil, TWO NAVELS:
LEON CURATED AUCTION, Leon Gallery, Makati City, 2016,
p. 60-61 and p. 62-63 (illustrated)
This is one of the very few paintings of Vicente Manansala that
comes across as a true social commentary, what with the bones
and spine emerging from the man’s back. Even Manansala’s
Barong-Barongs still possess a certain formal aesthetic elegance,
rather than hard visual truths. In “Mangangalakal”, Manansala
paints two gaunt figures, a man and a woman as hardworking
beings unmindful of the hazards of their daily burdens.
Large red dots on the fabric veiling the woman become bold
decorative patterns softening the tough, urban atmosphere. Daubs
of blues enhance the harmony of otherwise dissonant colors.
Just like Manansala’s women vendors, the two figures remain down
to earth, strong, unflappable, and unemotional as they tend to
myriad matters of daily life and survival.
Manansala consistently worked in the figurative mode, with the
exception of a few abstract works. Shunning Amorsolo’s rural idylls,
he developed a new imagery based on the postwar urban
experience. The city of Manila, through the vision of the artist,
assumed a strong folk character.
Manansala’s vision of the city and his fundamentally native
Filipino approach to his subjects would influence numerous
artists who took up his folk themes within an urban context.
Manansala’s art exemplified an elegant solution to visual
dilemmas offered by urban grit in terms of the use of modern
Western idioms and their local transformations, and in terms
of subject matter and content of art reflective of a people’s identity.
|
167
Paintings and Sculptures
A
Abad, Pacita 51
Abueva, Napoleon14
Albor, Augusto 11, 40, 82
Alcuaz, Federico Aguilar 10, 24, 92-93, 112,
120, 124, 162
Amorsolo, Fernando 35, 41, 57, 78, 101, 113,
132-133
Ancheta, Isidro 64
Antonio, Angelito 123, 138
Antonio, Marcel 48, 94
Arellano, Juan M. 148
Asuncion, Justiniano 70-71
Asuncion, Mariano 151
Austria, Tam 72
B
Barrioquinto, Andres 94
Belleza, Norma 163
Bitancor, Jeho 144
Blanco, Fray Manuel 43
Borlongan, Elmer 74-75, 86
C
Cabrera, Benedicto 36, 88-89, 116-117
Calubayan, Buen 46-47
Caringal, Ronald 98
Castañeda, Dominador 12, 90
Castrillo, Eduardo 112
Cobonpue, Kenneth 128
Culibrina, Ronson 138
D
Dela Fuente, Soyer 64
Dela Rosa, Ibarra 40
E
Esquillo, Alfredo Jr. 18-19, 150
F
Francisco, Carlos "Botong" 96-97
G
Galicano, Romulo 68, 91, 120
Garcia, Nona 150
H
Herrera, Toribio 90
J
Javier, Geraldine 60, 118-119
Jaylo, Jon 154
Joya, Jose 86, 126-127
K
Kiukok, Ang 37, 55, 66-67, 85, 121, 139, 160
L
Laxa, Elias 90
Leaño, Antonio 148
Legaspi, Cesar 8, 105
Lianben, Lao 42
Lorenzo, Diosdado 72
Luz, Arturo 79, 95, 131, 156-157
Index
M
Magsaysay-Ho, Anita 153
Manansala, Vicente 13, 48, 114, 166-167
Mansit, Joven 83
Martinez, Ramon 50
N
Navarro, Jerry Elizalde 12, 30, 61
Nepomuceno, Graciano T. 69
New, Jan Leroy C. 8
Nuyda, Justin 10
O
Ocampo, Galo
87
Ocampo, Hernando R. 128, 140-141
Ocampo, Manuel 110
Olazo, Romulo 82
Olmedo, Onib 24, 32-33, 38, 112
P
Paterno, Adelaida 21
Pineda, Jorge 149
R
Rasco, Eufemio IV 20
Ruiz, Jose Tence 77
S
Saguil, Nena 17, 99
Sanso, Juvenal 9, 29, 54, 65, 84, 145, 154
Santos III, Jose John 115
Santos, Mauro Malang 124
Saprid, Solomon 31, 100, 152
Saulog, Simon 20
T
Tabuena, Romeo 25, 44, 56, 63, 98, 161
Tapaya, Rodel 143
V
Ventura, Ronald 28, 158
Villegas, Renato 36
Vitalis, Macario 54, 158
W
Westendorp, Betsy134, 162
Wilwayco, Edwin 73, 155
Z
Zalameda, Oscar 15
Zobel, Fernando 39, 102-103, 106-107
Furniture and Objets d’ Art
1911 Jose Rizal Monument In
Cebu Design 142
Adam And Eve In A Virina 146-147
Award Given To Rizal 49
Butaca (Set Of 3) 129
Carte du Canal des Isles Philippines 34
Carte Hydrographique &
Chorographique des Isles Philippines 58
Coronation Regalia Of A Moro Sultan
135
Hand Drawn Architectural Plan Of
The Vigan, Ilocos Casa Real 130
Hand Drawn Map Of Mariveles Port
In Bataan 76
Hand Drawn Maps Of Olongapo
& Subic Port In Zambales 62
Hand Drawn Plan Of The Ship
“Faros” 16
Immaculada Concepcion 45
Ivory Calvario In A Virina 80-81
Ivory Crucifix 159
Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere
Manuscript in German and etc.
108-109
Kamagong Cabinet With Ivory Inlay
26-27
Malacañang Palace Azotea 122
Niño Domido Under Glass (Virina)
59
Nstra. Sra Del Carmen In A Virina
136-137
"Nstra. Sra Del Rosario In A Virina
Sto. Domingo De Guzman In
A Virina" 22-23
Roman Ongpin & El 82 Memorabilia
164-165
Round Dining Table 104
Round Dining Table and Dining
Chairs 52-53
Set of Chalices 125
Talisman of Andres Bonifacio 111
168
Terms and Conditions
The following are the terms and conditions that Leon Gallery has set for the auction. Kindly read
carefully.
Leon Gallery, all the participants of the event, processes, and transactions shall be guided accordingly by these rules:
GENERAL:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Each item (lot) in this catalog is offered for sale dependent on the terms exhibited below.
All lots are numbered according to the catalog unless otherwise stated by the auctioneer.
Transferring, selling, assigning of lots to anyone other than the bidder that won prior to the removal of the lot from the gallery is not allowed. Only the winning bidder has the authority to remove the lot from the gallery.
All items sold do not have any warranty. Leon Gallery is not and will not be liable for any unfortunate
circumstances that can happen to the lot after it has been transferred to the winning bidder.
All participants must agree to be bound by the terms that have been set by Leon Gallery.
BIDDING:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Bidders are required to complete and sign registration forms. Participants shall be asked to present a valid govern
ment-issued identification card (passport, driver’s license, etc.) upon registration.
Before the auction proper, each buyer will be given an assigned buyer’s number. The highest bidder of a specific lot shall be the buyer of the lot.
The auctioneer shall announce the winning bid and the corresponding buyer’s number of the bidder. Failure
of the winning bidder to object at the time of the announcement shall be considered as an acknowledgment of the bid and purchase. The buyer is legally liable to purchase the lot or pay the difference if the host must re-offer and sell it for a reduced price.
The buyer’s premium shall be 15% plus Value-Added Tax on premium (16.8% in total).
The auctioneer shall be in charge of supervising the bidding and shall be the sole arbiter of any disputes. Leon Gallery reserves the right to withdraw property at any time before the sale and reject a bid from any bidder.
Absentee bids are allowed in this auction. They are permitted to bid until fifteen (15) minutes prior to the start of the auction for all the items in the auction. Absentee bids for later lots may continue to be accepted
according to announcements or signs posted on the office window. A deposit may be requested on absentee bids over Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 200,000) or at the discretion of the auctioneer. The auctioneer will be responsible of bidding the absentee bid in opposition to the floor bidders. In case a tie occurs, the earlier bid wins the lot. Leon Gallery will not be liable for any failed absentee bid. The absentee bidders may contact the gallery after the auction to know if they won the lot.
PAYMENT:
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The balance of the invoice must be paid in full and merchandise picked up within three (3) days from the date of the sale. One week after the auction, left items may be moved to an off-site facility for pick-up. A storage
fee will be charged if merchandise is left longer than two (2) weeks of One Hundred Pesos (Php 100) per lot
per day. If the property is left longer than four (4) weeks, it will be considered abandoned. We are not responsible for shipping, but if packing and handling of purchased lots will be done by us, it is done at the entire risk of the purchaser. A refundable deposit may be required.
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LEGAZPI VILLAGE, MAKATI CITY
LITIGATION:
In case of litigation between Leon Gallery and the buyer, the parties must submit to the Law Courts of Makati.
169
Fernando Amorsolo
Lavanderas
Jorge Pineda
Magbabanig
León Gallery
FINE ART & ANTIQUES
NOW ACCEPTING CONSIGNMENTS
For the Kingly Treasures Auction 2016
Saeta #248
signed and dated (verso)
oil on canvas
G/F Eurovilla 1, Rufino Corner Legazpi Street, Legazpi Village, Makati City, Philippines
www.leon-gallery.com | [email protected] | +632 856 27 81

6 - Leon Gallery

Transcription

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