Lot description
Fernando Amorsolo (1892 - 1972) Rice Terraces signed and dated 1958 (lower right) oil on canvas 24” x 30” (60 cm x 75 cm) Leon Gallery wishes to thank Mrs. Sylvia Amorsolo-Lazo for confirming the authenticity of this lot Provenance: Acquired directly from the artist Amorsolo had mastered the Filipino genre painting with its idyllic renditions of country life against the backdrop of the lushness of the landscape. He also made many outdoor studies of the Filipino countryside in an ardent endeavor to capture the light and color of what he observed. Amorsolo was not a social commentator, but an aesthete who hoped to emphasize the finer qualities of his country and the people, from the beauty of the natural environment to the natural grace of the common people and the dignity of their life and labour. This early work entitled Rice Terraces captures the majesty of the northern landscape, one of the wonders of the world. Amorsolo brings it down to earth, however, with a line of tribespeople bringing their vegetables and wares to market. The popularity of his art is easier to account because it embodies a sense of sweetness and light. The life he chose to portray on canvas invariably brims with good cheer, serenity, casual grace, optimism, and just what we would like to see after a hard day’s grind.
