Lot description
PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF A DISTINGUISHED FAMILY Fernando Amorsolo (1892 - 1972) Vendedora de Frutas signed and dated 1939 (lower right) oil on canvas 16" x 12" (41 cm x 30 cm) P 5,000,000 León Gallery wishes to thank Mrs. Sylvia Amorsolo-Lazo for confirming the authenticity of this lot In 1916, Enrique Zóbel de Ayala sponsored Fernando Amorsolo’s studies at the Academia de San Fernando in Madrid. There, Amorsolo became exposed to the works of major French Realists, Impressionists, and Post-Impressionists. He also became acquainted with the paintings of Spanish luminist Joaquín Sorolla y Batida and Baroque master Diego Velasquez. These two painters eventually became his most admired and emulated artists. Trained under Western art techniques, Amorsolo employed impasto and spontaneous brushstrokes, highlighting the beauty of landscapes and everyday scenes. Fernando Amorsolo’s depiction of the rural woman in an illuminated bucolic mise en scène aimed to capture the alluring charm of the Filipina in her natural appearance and attractiveness. Despite having Western artistic training, his portrayal of the Filipina is devoid of Western-centric beauty standards and notions. This pursuit visually resonates in this piece depicting a rural fruit vendor with a bilao. Painted during his “Golden Period,” Amorsolo portrays a young Filipina maiden possessing a medium brown complexion that is reminiscent of the image of Maria Clara. For Amorsolo, the dalagang bukid is the quintessential Filipina muse. With the application of relatively thin and small brushstrokes, the warm, pleasant sunlight exudes an ambiance of tranquility usually associated with rural living. The tropical lighting also accentuates the physical appearance and the rustic clothing of the woman. Amorsolo perfectly encapsulates his mastery of Luminism, with the whole composition giving off a euphoric radiance due to his blissful depiction of the woman. Until his passing in 1972, Amorsolo constantly redefined his interpretation of the classic Filipina charisma that has become one of his defining legacies in Philippine art.
