Lot description
PROPERTY FROM THE HON. GEORGE A. MALCOLM COLLECTION Planting Rice signed and dated 1954 (lower right) oil on canvas 20" x 26" (51 cm x 66 cm) PROVENANCE A gift from the Philippine Congress to Hon. George A. Malcolm upon his conferment by the former of an honorary Philippine citizenship in 1955 “Despite his exposure to western influences, Amorsolo retained his Filipino consciousness as an artist. He was drawn more towards images of gentle rolling hills and verdant rice fields of the Philippines rather than the cosmopolitan world of Europe’s proud cities.” —S Y LV I A A M O RS O L O - L A Z O A N D E DW I N A . M A RT I N E Z , I N “ M A E S T RO F E R N A N D O C . A M O RS O L O : R E C O L L E C T I O N S O F T H E A M O RS O L O FA M I LY, 2009. Fernando Amorsolo was undoubtedly a household name in Philippine art. His pieces are a profound manifestation of his undying love for his home country, each composition a celebration of Philippine culture and heritage. His genre and historical paintings not only offer appealing landscapes and portraits but also elicit a great sense of belonging to the Filipino nation. In his 1954 Planting Rice, the hardworking farmers who often appear in the background of his Under the Mango Tree series take center stage. Amorsolo's sun cast a soft light, signifying an early morning scene, a time best suited for planting rice as the soil is still moist from dew. Notwithstanding the faint sunbeam, the farmers wear their salakots and long-sleeved shirts to protect their bodies from the impending heat. From a distance, there was a humongous mango tree, where farmers often rest and where their families cook and wait for them. "He invested rural people with dignity and country life with a feeling of contentment," art essayist Alfredo Roces writes in Amorsolo (1975). Indeed, the master painter's artistic bravura, fine strokes and vivid hues capture the hard work and simplicity of rural life, fostering a sense of nostalgia and appreciation for the bygone days. Despite the depiction of a back-breaking activity under the sun, the morning breeze envelops his figures, and a palpable sense of contentment emanates from them, permeating the canvas and reaching out to the audience. For a long time, the Amorsolo style and theme dominated the art scene, until the emergence of modernism in the Philippines struck it like lightning. Despite the criticisms and the artists' and the public's growing divergence from traditionalism, Amorsolo held on to his style and continued to make art as long as he could hold a paintbrush. Even after his death, his influence and undying legacy in the art scene continue to inspire and instill a deep sense of national pride, as embodied in the large body of works he left behind. (Jessica Magno)
