# Fernando C. Amorsolo artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/fernando-c-amorsolo/
Profile generated: 2026-05-03T06:25:06.551Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1892-05-30
- Death date: 1972-04-24
- Nationality: Filipino
- Movements: Philippine Impressionism
- Common media: oil painting, drawing

## About Fernando C. Amorsolo

Fernando C. Amorsolo (1892–1972) was a Filipino painter widely regarded as the most important figure in the history of Philippine visual art. Born in Manila and educated at the University of the Philippines, Amorsolo built a decades-long career centered on luminous rural landscapes, portraits, and genre scenes depicting everyday Filipino life. He became known for a distinctive use of natural and backlighting that gave his canvases a characteristic golden glow. Often called the "Grand Old Man of Philippine Art," he was named the first National Artist of the Philippines in recognition of his pioneering impressionistic technique and his role in shaping Filipino cultural identity through art. His work spans the American colonial period through the post-war republic, making him a touchstone for collectors of Southeast Asian modernism.

## Common works and media

Amorsolo's most commonly encountered works include oil-on-canvas rural landscapes showing Filipino village life, harvest scenes, and marketplace gatherings. He also produced formal portraits of prominent Filipino figures, historical and genre paintings, drawings in pencil and charcoal, and occasional sketches and watercolors. Prints and reproductions of his iconic images circulate widely and should be distinguished from original works during appraisal.

## Market and appraisal context

Fernando C. Amorsolo is one of the most frequently traded Philippine artists, with confirmed auction appearances spanning from 2003 to 2024 across international and regional houses. The Appraisily auction-record index reports 61 lots attributed to this artist slug, though a significant portion of recent records match the cartographer Nicolas de Fer rather than Amorsolo the painter, indicating a search-index noise issue that collectors should be aware of. Confirmed Amorsolo paintings include a "Tinikling" sold at Leon Gallery in November 2019 for PHP 7,500,000, and two works sold at Caza Sikes in June 2024 for USD 115,200 and USD 76,800. A Bonhams offering of "El descanso de la siega" in November 2024 did not publish a realized price. A work titled "Bathers" appeared at Salcedo Auctions in March 2022 without a published result. These confirmed lots place Amorsolo firmly in the mid-to-high five-figure USD range at reputable houses, with top-tier Philippine-market works reaching into six figures. The market shows thin recent liquidity — only two confirmed Amorsolo paintings in the trailing 12 months — which is consistent with a blue-chip Philippine artist whose major works appear selectively at specialist Southeast Asian sales rather than in high-volume general auctions.

## Auction-house-backed market evidence

Fernando C. Amorsolo is one of the most frequently traded Philippine artists, with confirmed auction appearances spanning from 2003 to 2024 across international and regional houses. The Appraisily auction-record index reports 61 lots attributed to this artist slug, though a significant portion of recent records match the cartographer Nicolas de Fer rather than Amorsolo the painter, indicating a search-index noise issue that collectors should be aware of. Confirmed Amorsolo paintings include a "Tinikling" sold at Leon Gallery in November 2019 for PHP 7,500,000, and two works sold at Caza Sikes in June 2024 for USD 115,200 and USD 76,800. A Bonhams offering of "El descanso de la siega" in November 2024 did not publish a realized price. A work titled "Bathers" appeared at Salcedo Auctions in March 2022 without a published result. These confirmed lots place Amorsolo firmly in the mid-to-high five-figure USD range at reputable houses, with top-tier Philippine-market works reaching into six figures. The market shows thin recent liquidity — only two confirmed Amorsolo paintings in the trailing 12 months — which is consistent with a blue-chip Philippine artist whose major works appear selectively at specialist Southeast Asian sales rather than in high-volume general auctions.

### Appraisal notes

Appraisily would use these auction records as comparable-lot evidence alongside the client's submitted photographs, measured dimensions, stated medium, signature inspection, condition report, and documented provenance. Because the auction index for this artist slug contains non-Amorsolo results (cartographic prints by Nicolas de Fer and decorative objects), each comparable lot must be individually verified as a genuine Amorsolo painting before inclusion in a valuation analysis. The most reliable comparables are the Caza Sikes results (USD 76,800 and USD 115,200, both 2024) and the Leon Gallery result (PHP 7,500,000, 2019). Currency conversion, sale-date aging, and subject-matter adjustments would all factor into a formal appraisal. Attribution risk is elevated for Amorsolo due to his prolific output and the existence of works by family members and followers, so signature verification and expert cataloguing are essential steps.

### Valuation factors

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### Collector notes

- Confirmed recent Amorsolo painting prices range from approximately USD 76,800 to USD 115,200 at US regional houses (Caza Sikes, 2024) and PHP 7,500,000 at Manila's Leon Gallery (2019), but top-tier works at major international Southeast Asian sales can exceed these levels.
- The market is selective rather than high-volume: only a handful of genuine Amorsolo paintings appear at auction each year, so liquidity is moderate. Collectors should not assume rapid resale at full value.
- The Appraisily auction index for this artist contains search-noise results (Nicolas de Fer cartographic prints, decorative objects). Verify that any comparable lot is a confirmed Amorsolo painting before using it for pricing decisions.
- Prints and reproductions of Amorsolo's iconic images circulate widely and should be distinguished from original works. A professional appraisal is strongly recommended for any work suspected to be by Amorsolo.
- Key auction houses for Amorsolo works include Leon Gallery, Salcedo Auctions, Bonhams (Southeast Asian sales), and Christie's/Sotheby's Hong Kong and Singapore specialist sales. Results from these houses provide the most reliable market benchmarks.

### Market caveats

- The Appraisily auction-record index reports 61 lots under this artist slug, but many recent lots are attributable to Nicolas de Fer (a French cartographer) or other unrelated entries matching on the 'Fer' substring. Only confirmed Amorsolo lots should be used for valuation.
- Confirmed priced Amorsolo results in the source pack span multiple currencies (USD, PHP, EUR, GBP), making direct price comparison difficult without currency normalization and date adjustment.
- Only three confirmed Amorsolo paintings have published realized prices in the source pack (two at Caza Sikes in 2024, one at Leon Gallery in 2019). This is a thin comparable set for a major artist.
- The existing artist profile references 'over 840 documented auction appearances,' but the current source pack contains only 61 lots, of which approximately 6 are confirmed Amorsolo paintings. The broader auction record was not available in this source pack.
- Attribution risk is significant: one lot is explicitly titled 'Signed Amorsolo? Oil on Board' (Sarasota Estate Auction, 2020), reflecting the ongoing challenge of distinguishing genuine works from those by followers or family members.

### Market evidence sources

- Appraisily: https://appraisily.com/api/scraper-search/artists/fernando-c-amorsolo/seo-profile?recentLimit=24&relatedLimit=0
- Invaluable (Bonhams listing): https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-fernando-amorsolo-y-cueto-paco-1892-1972-quezon-city-el-descanso-de-la-siega-88-c-f664f5f963

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine verified artist identity research from library authority files and museum sources with publicly documented auction records, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lot data when available. For Fernando C. Amorsolo, identity data is anchored in the Library of Congress Name Authority File, VIAF, and Wikidata. Auction context and market observations should be supplemented with current results from major Philippine and international auction houses.

## Sources

- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/nr97043932
- VIAF (OCLC): https://viaf.org/viaf/13108276/
- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1943091
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_Amorsolo
- RKD (Netherlands Institute for Art History): https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/232255