Lot description
Sabel Series signed and dated 1967 (lower right) oil on wood 17" x 17" (43 cm x 43 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by Finale Art File and signed by the artist confirming the authenticity of this lot PROVENANCE Finale Art File Inspired by a homeless woman the artist encountered in Bambang during his youth, Sabel would, over the decades, evolve into far more than a recurring subject. In Bencab’s hands, she became a deeply personal symbol— at once fragile and defiant, earthly and ethereal—through which the artist explored memory, longing, and the quiet dignity of the human condition. Like all great artistic muses, Sabel resists fixed meaning; she shifts constantly between woman, apparition, and metaphor. In this particular work, Bencab strips the figure of spectacle and instead embraces restraint. Gone is the dramatic sweep of fabric so often associated with the Sabel series. What remains is something more intimate and contemplative. The figure stands heavily against a muted field of dusty rose and earth tones, her body rendered with an almost weathered softness that blurs flesh into surface. Her darkened face recedes into shadow, withholding expression and inviting the viewer into a quieter, more introspective encounter. The painting’s textured surface lends the work an almost timeworn quality, as though Sabel exists not entirely in the present but somewhere between recollection and dream. There is vulnerability here, but also resilience—a humanity that feels deeply lived-in rather than idealized. (Jed Daya)
