{"status":true,"msg":{"data":{"id":60777,"auction_id":203,"set_id":236,"lot_number":"66","artist":"Antonio Garcia Llamas (1912 - 1999)","title":null,"starting_price":200000,"signed_dated":"a.) Portrait of Don Cresencio Rebullida
\nsigned (lower left)
\noil on canvas
\n27\" x 21\" (69 cm x 53 cm)
","medium":"\nb.) Portrait of Doña Candida Rebullida
\nsigned (lower right)
\noil on canvas
\n27\" x 21\" (69 cm x 53 cm)","size":null,"property":null,"coa":null,"provenance":null,"exhibited":null,"literature":null,"write_up":"The paintings at hand, a pair of identically-sized portraits by the Spanish-Filipino artist, Antonio García Llamás, came with scant information. The subjects were said to be ancestors of the Rebullida family and the portraits came from the vast art collection of Don J. Antonio Araneta and Doña Margarita Rebullida Araneta. After some inquiry with family historian, Eileen Rebullida Del Gallego, daughter of Rafael Xerez-Burgos Rebullida, Jr., and Luz Gallago, and Conchitina Araneta Ladao, daughter of Don J. Antonio Araneta and Doña Margarita Rebullida Araneta, it was confirmed that the couple depicted in the two portraits were Don Cresencio Espert Rebullida, II and Doña Candida Soriano Rebullida, parents of Doña Margarita Rebullida Araneta and Eileen’s grandfather, Rafael Soriano Rebullida, Sr.
The portraits, by renowned Spanish-Filipino portrait and mural artist Antonio García Llamás, may have been commissioned by Don J. Antonio “Tony” Araneta, a known art connoisseur and collector of works by Filipino artists, as a gift to his beloved wife, Maria Margarita “Nena” Rebullida Araneta, who lost her father, Don Cresencio, when she was four and her mother, Doña Candida, when she was only twelve years old. Antonio García Llamás was the uncle of Maritina Llamás Araneta, wife of Tony and Nena’s son, Friskito.
Who were the Rebullidas and where did they originate? According to family historian, Eileen Rebullida Del Gallego, the Rebullidas were an Aragonese-Valencian family who made their way into Manila’s colonial, commercial, and postwar social worlds at the turn of the 20th century.
The Rebullida family name is believed to have originated from Spain and was derived from the Spanish word, “rebullir,” which means “to stir” or “to boil,” possibly indicating a connection to occupations related to cooking or the culinary arts. It is perhaps not a coincidence that at least two Rebullida descendants are restaurateurs: León Cruz Araneta, who co-owns the Indian Restaurant, Kashmir, with partner Karla Prieto Delgado, and Bianca Araneta Elizalde who co-owns with her husband, Juan Miguel Elizalde, The Wholesome Table, which serves organic, farm-to-table cuisine. “Rebullir” also means to stir, to move, and to show signs of life.
According to Eileen Rebullida Del Gallego, the Philippine line descends from Cresencio Rebullida, I (1844-1910) who was born on 19 April 1844 in Castellón de la Plana, a city in eastern Spain close to the Valencian coast, and his wife, the former Asuncion Espert (1852-1930), born in Valencia on 15 August 1852. Further back, the Rebullidas trace their origins to La Ginebrosa, Teruel, in the arid olive country of Bajo Aragon, before later branches drifted toward Castellon de la Plana. There, they married into the Esperts, an old Valencian family line whose medieval roots in the region reach back into the 15th century. Both the Rebullidas and the Esperts moved in the same provincial circles of law, government, and military service.
Cresencio, I held the rank of Capitan de la Guardia Civil in peninsular Spain. His son, Cresencio Espert Rebullida, II (1872-1918), born in Valencia on 18 April 1872, followed him into the Guardia Civil and reached the rank of Teniente. In 1882 or 1883, Captain Cresencio, I sailed for the Philippines with his wife, Asuncion, and their four children–Salvador, Cresencio, II, José, and Concepcion–and settled permanently in Manila and briefly in Iriga Camarines Sur, where the family folded easily into the capital’s Spanish community.
Cresencio, I and Asuncions’s daughter, Concepcion married Augusto Yrastorza (1876-1922) and had five children: Carmen (1909-1944), Milagros (1911-1945), Amparo (1913- ?), Jose Antonio Enrique (1914-?), and Antonio (1915-1991). Concepcion passed away in 1945.
Cresencio, II married Candida Abastillas Soriano (1875- 1926), born in Lucena, then in the province of Tayabas (now Quezon province), on 29 August 1875, the daughter of Luis Soriano of Malabon and Raymunda Abastillas of Lucena. In family memory, Cresencio referred to his dear wife as “mi costilla” (‘my rib”).
Cresencio, II and Candida had six children: Rafael Soriano Rebullida (1896-1971), who married Gracia Xerez-Burgos (1899-1988); Asuncion Soriano Rebullida (b. 1905) who married Joaquin F. Lopez; Salvador “”Badoring” Soriano Rebullida (1907-1970) who married Severina Eugenio; Cresencio “Moning” Soriano Rebullida, III who married Concepcion Macrohon; Rosario “Charing” Soriano Rebullida who married Jaime Buenaflor, Sr.; and Margarita “Nena” Soriano Rebullida who married J. Antonio Zaragoza Araneta.
Among Cresencio’s and Candida’s six children, the eldest, Rafael Soriano Rebuilida, Sr.,and the youngest, Margarita “Nena” Soriano Rebullida Araneta, who were the best known in Manila’s business and social circles.
The Rebullida name still resonates today as the eponymously named high end jewelry shop whose large and bright neon signage sign lit up its posh Post-War store located at the Art Deco Style Soledad Osorio de Fernandez Building at 51 Escolta, with the Capitol Theater Building on its left and the ruins of the Crystal Arcade (on which site the PNB Building would rise in 1966) on its right. R. Rebullida, Inc. was a renowned maker of upscale jewelry and one-time exclusive distributor of Rolex and Omega wristwatches and William Rogers silverware.
Rebullida, Inc. was founded by Rafael Soriano Rebullida,, Sr., born on 17 October 1896 in Iriga, Camarines Sur, Philippines. the eldest son of Don Cresencio and Doña Candida Rebullida. While his biographies state that he worked for many years with La Estrella del Norte, the leading jewelry store of Pre-War Manila owned by Levy Hermanos, Rafael’s jewelry trade goes farther back to the early 1920s. The Manila Classified Business Directory section of the Manila Telephone Directory of April 1921 already had a listing for Rafael Rebullida with address at 351 Juan Luna under the “Jewelers and Watchmakers Section” along with La Estrella del Norte, H.E. Heacock Co., J.B. Lammoglia’s El Meridien, and the Kyburz’s La Confianza and El Zenith, among others. Moreover, the front page of Vicente Sotto’s The Independent, dated 22 April 1922 had a large and prominent ad of “La Nacional, Joyeria, Relojeria, y Plateria de Rafael Rebullida” with address at 145-147 Escolta, Manila. These directory listing and printed ad confirm that Rafael Rebullida was already running his own jewelry, watch, and silver business as far back as the early 1920s.
It is not known when Rafael, Sr. started working with La Estrella del Norte but it is likely that his business was affected by the worldwide economic depression from the late 1920s-1930s. During the Japanese Occupation, family accounts recall his keeping a small retail shop in Ermita, Manila to stay afloat, bicycling to Divisoria for stock and pedaling it back to sell.
After WWII, Rafael’s jewelry business bounced back with the opening of Star Jewelry along Escolta, directly competing with his former employer, La Estrella del Norte, and the foremost retail department store of Pre- and Post-War Escolta, H.E. Heacock’s. When his two sons, Carlos and Rafael, Jr., joined their father’s business in the 1950s, Star Jewelry was renamed, Rebullida, Inc.
Rebullida, Inc. became known as the jeweller of socialites and movie stars. Camay beauties, Delia Razon, Gloria Romero, Rosa Rosal, Tessie Quintana, Tita Duran, Paraluman, and Anita Linda became endorsers of Rebullida Jewelry through a publicity tie-up with Camay soap. Its print ads in leading magazines and newspapers of the time projected images of glamour, elegance, sophistication, and affluence. In 1965, Rebullida, Inc. opened a second branch at the Maranaw Merchandise Mart at the Makati Commercial Center, in line with the growing shift of high-end commerce from Escolta to Makati.
Rafael Rebullida, Sr. was a gregarious man whose social networking skills worked well to build his jewelry business. Photos from family albums shared by Eileen Rebullida Del Gallego show him enjoying the company of personalities like President Carlos P. Garcia, First Lady Aurora Quezon, Speaker Daniel Romualdez, and Manila Mayor Antonio Villegas. A photo of Ambassador Carlos P. Romulo dating back to 1957 was inscribed with the handwritten dedication: “To my good friend and pal of my bachelor days, Raf Rebullida,”
Rafael, Sr, married Gracia Latorre Xerez-Burgos on 1 January 1920 at Lourdes Church in Intramuros. Gracia was the daughter of Dr. Manuel Xerez-Burgos, a prominent Manila physician and Dorotea Latorre. Dr. Manuel Xerez-Burgos was a friend of Paciano Rizal who was instrumental in having the ten-year old José Rizal admitted to the Ateneo Municipal de Manila. His mother, Antonia, from Vigan, Ilocos Sur, on the other hand, was the sister of Fr. José Burgos, one of the GOMBURZA martyr priests of the Cavite Mutiny of 1872.
Rafael, Sr. and Gracia had five children but only three survived to adulthood: Rafael, Jr. “Chichong,”(12 January 1921-13 February 1968) married to Gracia Gallego; Carlos “Charlie,” (b. 1924) married to Angelita Nojano Chico; and Gracia “Nena” (1922-?) married to Augusto Pablo Muller. One was stillborn while the other died shortly after birth.
The family lived in the Rebullida Compound, a one-hectare estate located at 4427 Old Santa Mesa Road which Rafael and Gracia acquired after WWII, near the Severo Tuason and Villa-Abrille compounds. To recall, the Rebullida family already resided in Santa Mesa, Manila before WWII as stated in the marriage contract of J. Antonio Araneta and Margarita Rebullida dated 1938. In the immediate Post-War years, the family stayed at 53 Haig St., Mandaluyong, as indicated in a PAL Air Manifest dated 7 March 1947. The Rebullida Compound, which housed so many beautiful and warm memories of the family was sold in 1973, two years after Rafael, Sr.’s passing on 22 March 1971. On its site was built the Communication Foundation of Asia Building.
Cresencio’s and Candida’s eldest daughter, Asuncion (b. 1905) married Joaquin Lopez, son of Ramon Flores Lopez and Enriqueta Ramirez de Arellano, Spanish nationals of Intramuros, Manila, at the Iglesia de Santo Domingo in Intramuros, Manila on 27 November 1935.
Salvador Soriano Rebullida, born in Manila on 9 November 1907, was married to Severina T. Eugenio on 25 March 1940 at San Vicente de Paul Church in San Marcelino, Manila. Severina was born on 8 January 1913 in Malabon to Angel Eugenio of Quiapo, Manila and Gregoria Eugenio of Malabon. Salvador and Severina had a son, Eduardo (born in 1933) who married Maria Lourdes Nelle, daughter of Charles and Mary Vedua Nelle in 1958. Salvador passed away in his residence at 252 Aguado Street, San Miguel, Manila on 5 December 1970.
Not much is known about Cresencio, III who married Concepcion Macrohon. There is also scant information on Rosario who was married to Jaime Buenaflor, Sr. They had two sons, J.R. Buenaflor and Jaime Buenaflor, Jr. (b. 29 December 1939), a financial consultant who was single when he passed away at age 38 on 26 October 1978. The Buenaflors were residents of 252 Aguado St., San Miguel, Manila, the same address as Rosario’s brother, Salvador.
Margarita “Nena” Soriano Rebullida was a beautiful young lady of 23 years educated at Santa Teresa College, Manila when she married one of Manila’s most eligible bachelors, Harvard-educated lawyer, businessman, and scion of Gregorio Soriano Araneta and Carmen Zaragoza Araneta, J. Antonio “Tony” Zaragoza Araneta on 26 March 1938. The society pages of Manila’s dailies were abuzz with announcements and details of the wedding. The Sunday Tribune in its Society page dated 11 March 1938 wrote:
“An announcement of great interest to Manila society is that of the coming marriage of Miss Margarita Rebullida, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Cresencio Rebullida, and Antonio Araneta, son of Mrs. Carmen Zaragoza vda. De Araneta and the late Gregorio Araneta.
The wedding will be a fashionable affair at the San Sebastian Church on Saturday, March 26 at 6:30 in the evening. Sponsors for the pair will be Mrs. Asuncion R. Lopez, sister of the bride, and Salvador Araneta, brother of the groom. (Their marriage certificate listed Salvador Rebullida and Eduardo Paz Hidalgo as witnesses.)
Miss Rebullida studied at Santa Teresa College. Mr. Araneta, who is a lawyer, is an alumnus of La Salle and Ateneo, as well as Harvard where he studied upon graduation here. They plan to make their home on Pasaje del Carmen, Malate, pending completion of their house in Santa Mesa.”
The wedding reception followed at the Araneta family’s residence at 1030 R. Hidalgo St., Quiapo, Manila.
After WWII, the family settled in an elegant residence designed by Tony’s brother, Architect Luis Ma. Araneta, at 58 McKinley Road, Forbes Park, Makati, which the family fondly called MARA.
Tony and Nena Araneta were blessed with seven children: Antonio Sebastian, Jr. “Tonypet” (b. 20 January 1939) married to Gemma Teresa Guerrero Cruz; Francisco Federico “Friskito” (b. 9 October 1940) married to Maritina Llamás; Concepcion “Conchitina” (b. 22 October 1942) first married to Buenaventura “Ben” Rodriguez Veloso then to Jimmy Ladao; Carlos Gabriel “Linggoy” (b. 24 March 1945) married to Consuelo “Connie” Chacarrategui Gonzalez; Maria Margarita “Maity” (b. 2 September 1946) married to Francisco “Paquito” Holigores; Enrique “Iking” (b. 26 May 1949) married to Maria Teresa “Maritess” Rosés Revilla; and Jose Javier “Javier” (b. 26 January 1951).
Tony and Nena had at least nineteen grandchildren. Among their grandchildren are Fatimah and León Araneta (the children of Tonypet and Gemma); Jimiton, Bettina, Francot, and Iñaki (the children of Friskito and Maritina); Benjie, Antonio, Gerardo, and Maita (the children of Cochitina and Ben); Juan Carlos, Santi, Dino, and Ma. Monica (the children of Linggoy and Connie); Katrina and Gabriel (the children of Maity and Paquito Holigores); and Paolo Jose, Bianca, and Agustin Enrique (the children of Iking and Maritess).
His granddaughter, Bettina Araneta Aboitiz, recalled in her essay, “Life with Lolo,” published in the book, 1030 R. Hidalgo: The Family, that she remembers her Lolo most for his love for paintings and horses. She wrote: “Practically every wall in the house had several paintings hanged on them that there were literally more paintings than the wall itself. Lolo kept on buying them.” But above all was his love for family: “Lolo was always proud of his family, He loved his children and grandchildren. Of course, Lola most especially.”
J. Antonio Araneta passed away on 21 September 1985 at age 80. His wife, Nena, survived him for another twenty two years, passing away on 13 May 2007, at age 93
Years later, Bettina would acquire the exquisite portrait of her grandmother, Maria Margarita “Nena” Soriano Rebullida Araneta by National Artist Fernando C. Amorsolo dated 1953, which must have been commissioned by her Lolo Tony for his beloved wife, just like the two portraits of Don Cresencio and Doña Candida Rebullida, all treasured family heirlooms and mementos of the Rebullida family, a name which once shone brightly in the neon-lit Escolta of long ago.","lot_group":"PAINTING","lot_details_html":null,"alias":null,"hp":null,"bp":0.2016,"isWithdrawn":0,"accounting_hp":null,"userBid":null,"isPaid":0,"userId":34,"lot_status":"UNSOLD","isDone":1,"bid_history_id":null,"reserve_price":0,"hammer_price":null,"fav":0},"image":[{"id":66792,"img_url":"https://leongallery.sgp1.digitaloceanspaces.com/v2/auction/203/236/lot/66.jpg","isFeatured":1},{"id":67272,"img_url":"https://leongallery.sgp1.digitaloceanspaces.com/v2/auction/203/236/lot/66f.jpg","isFeatured":0},{"id":67271,"img_url":"https://leongallery.sgp1.digitaloceanspaces.com/v2/auction/203/236/lot/66e.jpg","isFeatured":0},{"id":67270,"img_url":"https://leongallery.sgp1.digitaloceanspaces.com/v2/auction/203/236/lot/66d.jpg","isFeatured":0},{"id":67269,"img_url":"https://leongallery.sgp1.digitaloceanspaces.com/v2/auction/203/236/lot/66c.jpg","isFeatured":0},{"id":67268,"img_url":"https://leongallery.sgp1.digitaloceanspaces.com/v2/auction/203/236/lot/66b.jpg","isFeatured":0},{"id":67267,"img_url":"https://leongallery.sgp1.digitaloceanspaces.com/v2/auction/203/236/lot/66a.jpg","isFeatured":0}]},"increment":[220000,240000,260000,280000,300000,320000,340000,360000,380000,400000,450000,500000,550000,600000,650000,700000,750000,800000,900000,1000000,1100000,1200000,1300000,1400000,1500000,1600000,1700000,1800000,1900000,2000000,2200000,2400000,2600000,2800000,3000000,3200000,3400000,3600000,3800000,4000000,4200000,4400000,4600000,4800000,5000000,5500000,6000000,6500000,7000000,7500000,8000000,8500000,9000000,9500000,10000000,11000000,12000000,13000000,14000000,15000000,16000000,17000000,18000000,19000000,20000000],"prev":65,"next":67,"count_bid":0,"bid_history":[],"tokenExpired":1}