Lot description
Property from the Arch. Gabriel Formoso collection Vicente Manansala (1910 - 1981) Mother and Child signed and dated 1965 (upper left) oil on canvas 27" x 34" (69 cm x 87 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by The National Museumconfirming the authenticity of this lot Gabriel Formoso Architect and Nation-Builder Architect Gabriel aka “Gabby” Formoso started his practice in 1939 as one of the first 100 licensed architects in the Philippines. Among his designs are well-known landmark buildings in the Makati Central Business District with most surviving up to this day. These include the Asian Institute of Management building, the Bank of America–Lepanto building, and the Manila Peninsula Hotel, as well as major structures in Manila such as the Central Bank of the Philippines. Among the most important recognitions he received were the 1979 Outstanding Architect of the Year Award from the Professional Regulation Commission, the 1977 Patnubay ng Kalinangan Award from the Commission on Arts and Culture, the 1974 Most Outstanding Alumnus Award from his alma mater University of Santo Tomas, and an Honorary Lifetime Individuals Membership from the Architectural Center. But more than a maker of cityscapes and nation-building, Architect Formoso was an avid art collector. His family would remember that “He gave a lot of aspiring artists and sculptors a leg up by purchasing their artworks, not only to add to his large collection but also to present them to both friends and clients as his way of promoting the artist.” In fact, Architect Formoso — a legendary host who would enjoy cooking for his guests — would also organized painting interactions with the country’s best-known artists as well as younger mavericks, new to the scene. This particular Manansala was acquired from a friend, Mr Hermie Atienza of the Central Bank of the Philippines and was considered an important piece in the Architect’s collection. Manansala’s Modern Madonna Through The Prism Of Stained Glass And Cubism by Lisa Guerrero Nakpil The art of stained-glass would fit comfortably into Manansala’s cubist vision. This medieval art would consist of joining translucent pieces of glass — very much like the shapes that Manansala would use to break down reality — with heavy black enamel lines. These heavy lines, as in this painting of a mother mending nets as her child lies placidly in his crib, would become distinctive design elements that would form part of the image. Manansala probably selected the geometric patterns of the net festooned around the mother and the wicker grids of the cradle to emphasize these black lines. It is a serious composition of ornament, image and structure. Before the likes of Dalena, Olmedo, and de Guzman, there were the “Neo-Realists” who were the first to portray the stark realities of a post-war Philippines. In the Sixties, Manansala continued to convey the story of the urban poor, although in a highly photogenic manner. A favorite theme would be the Filipino madonna. In this work, his riff on the “rose windows” of the great French cathedrals underline the connection between the Catholic Virgin Mary and the Filipino mother and child, who through hard work and patience continued to eke out a living to support the family.
