{"status":true,"msg":{"data":{"id":22145,"auction_id":24,"set_id":43,"lot_number":"57","artist":"Vicente Manansala (1910 - 1981)","title":"Self-Portrait","starting_price":1000000,"signed_dated":"signed and dated 1947 (upper left)","medium":"pastel on paper","size":"23\" x 15\" (58 cm x 38 cm)","property":null,"coa":null,"provenance":"Private Collection, Manila","exhibited":null,"literature":null,"write_up":"Drawing was Vicente Manansala’s obsession.\nIn 1947, coinciding with the great era of\nillustration in the Philippines which brought\nout the prowess of other renowned artists such\nas Botong Francisco and Cesar Legaspi, the\n37-year old Manansala worked as an illustrator\nfor Liwayway Magazine and as a layout artist\nfor Photonews and the Saturday Evening News\nMagazine. Pervaded by his passion for being an\nillustrator, Manansala would also always find\nhimself still awake at dawn to sketch. Numerous\ndrawings were left by the artist – this selfportrait\nincluded – that were regarded as silent\nwitnesses to his creative vision. For Manansala,\ncraftsmanship and drawing have always been\n“the handmaiden of an artist.” Rod. Paras-Perez\nwrote that “drawing was Manansala’s way of\nmaking his hand give voice to his vision – a\nvehicle for carrying every nuance of his feeling.”
\nManansala intimately knew the nuances of his\nanatomy, as showcased in his self-portrait. This\npiece serves as a visual language of the artist,\npurposely created to make known the intricacies\nof his individuality.
\nIn Manansala Nudes, Manansala delved into his\ndrawing process: “Firstly, I try to make drawings\nvery accurate. I accustom my eyes to size up\nproportions and directions of lines. I know that\nby doing this, I develop my sense of proportion\nand direction. Then I practice drawing these lines\nto inject more sensitivity, more feeling without\nbeing as accurate as in the beginning. Then the\npoint comes when one can draw anything at\nwill. But that is just the beginning.”
\nManansala’s self-portrait visually resonates\nwith that of a lived experience – an artist’s\npersonal sensibility rather than a beholder’s\ndisengaged deliberation.","lot_group":"PAINTING","lot_details_html":"
Vicente Manansala (1910 - 1981) Self-Portrait signed and dated 1947 (upper left) pastel on paper 23\" x 15\" (58 cm x 38 cm)