{"status":true,"msg":{"data":{"id":58427,"auction_id":121,"set_id":155,"lot_number":"64","artist":"Fernando Amorsolo (1892 - 1972)","title":"Mealtime","starting_price":2000000,"signed_dated":"signed and dated 1942 (lower left)","medium":"oil on canvas","size":"11\" x 9 1/4\" (28 cm x 23 cm)","property":null,"coa":null,"provenance":null,"exhibited":null,"literature":"Roces, Alfredo. Amorsolo. Makati: Filipinas Foundation Inc., 1975. Fullcolor illustration and painting description on page 84.","write_up":"At the heart of Fernando Amorsolo's oeuvre lies his brilliant colorism and deep adoration for his home country, each composition a reflection of Philippine culture, heritage, and history. However, contrary to his sun-infused canvases, Fernando Amorsolo's life and career have also seen the darkest of days. <br /> <br />The rise of modernism was one of the greatest threats to his career. With many artists shifting to abstraction and abandoning the Amorsolo school of art, collectors' tastes also changed, and thus, his market came to a gradual decline. Subsequently, many people criticized and made harsh remarks about him and his work. <br /> <br />Like many others, the advent of the Second World War proved to be a trying time for the maestro. With the ongoing war, artists could no longer roam around as freely as before to practice on-the-spot painting, much less sell their works, as almost everyone was confined to the safety of their homes. Moreover, the maestro also had health difficulties due to his diabetes. The death of his first wife, Salud, in 1931 also bore a hole in his life. <br /> <br />But just like the sun that the storm has darkened, Amorsolo nevertheless bounces back every time. Regardless of the chaos around him, as well as what his critics say, he persisted in his art making and stayed true to his ‘light’ and palette. <br /> <br />Amorsolo worked diligently to support his growing family. Especially after he remarried Maria del Carmen and had eight more children. Even during the war, he continued to paint relentlessly, documenting the harrowing events unfolding before him through sketches and paintings. These efforts show not only his passion for his craft, but also what kind of a person and a father he was—one who will set aside his personal feelings for the betterment of his family. <br /> <br />Mealtime, painted in 1942, is a testament to Amorsolo's perennial skills and undying love for his family. With his wife and daughter as his models, his skilled and delicate brushstrokes delineated the close familial affection of the Filipinos, as seen in the mother's tender gaze towards her child enjoying her mealtime. The Amorsolo light, though it illuminates the scene, is not the source of the warmth enveloping the piece. Instead, it emanates from the affectionate scene unfolding before us. <br /> <br />\"His art reaches out; it does not intimidate, confound or alienate,\" May Lyn L. Cruz, curator for the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, writes about the maestro. His works consistently highlight the rich Philippine culture and tradition, sparking a sense of warmth and nostalgia among viewers. Fernando Amorsolo's illustrious career has earned him numerous awards and recognitions, including the title of the National Artist of the Philippines. Consequently, his works have been the centerpiece of multiple art spaces, including exhibitions, museums, galleries, and private collections. (Jessica Magno)","lot_group":"PAINTING","lot_details_html":null,"alias":null,"hp":5000000,"bp":0.2016,"isWithdrawn":0,"accounting_hp":5000000,"userBid":null,"isPaid":0,"userId":22,"lot_status":"SOLD","isDone":1,"bid_history_id":null,"reserve_price":0,"hammer_price":6008000,"fav":0},"image":[{"id":63688,"img_url":"https://leongallery.sgp1.digitaloceanspaces.com/v2/auction/121/155/lot/64.jpg","isFeatured":1},{"id":63949,"img_url":"https://leongallery.sgp1.digitaloceanspaces.com/v2/auction/121/155/lot/64a.jpg","isFeatured":0},{"id":63941,"img_url":"https://leongallery.sgp1.digitaloceanspaces.com/v2/auction/121/155/lot/64b.jpg","isFeatured":0}]},"increment":[5500000,6000000,6500000,7000000,7500000,8000000,8500000,9000000,9500000,10000000,11000000,12000000,13000000,14000000,15000000,16000000,17000000,18000000,19000000,20000000],"prev":63,"next":65,"count_bid":0,"bid_history":[],"tokenExpired":1}