{"status":true,"msg":{"data":{"id":22431,"auction_id":25,"set_id":44,"lot_number":"171","artist":"Fernando Amorsolo (1892 - 1972) (1892 - 1972)","title":"a) Portrait of a Woman \nb) Portrait of a Man","starting_price":260000,"signed_dated":"signed and dated 1925 (lower left)","medium":"oil on canvas","size":"25” x 20” (64 cm x 51 cm) each","property":null,"coa":"Leon Gallery wishes to thank Mrs. Sylvia Amorsolo-Lazo for \nconfirming the authenticity of this lot","provenance":"Private collection, USA ","exhibited":null,"literature":null,"write_up":"After returning from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid in the\nlatter part of the 1920s, Fernando Amorsolo would not only paint\nportraits of the Filipino upper class but also of the American elite in\nthe Philippines. This work by Amorsolo encapsulates his attempt on\ncapturing the tradition of retratistas in 19th-century Philippine art.\nIn this portrait of an old Caucasian lady, Amorsolo depicts her as a\ndignified and regal woman with her facial expression exuding an aura\nof decorum and respectability. The fine brushstrokes employed by the\nmaster painter combined with the simplicity of the black dress add a\ndegree of refinement and poise to her overall character. Despite the\nabsence of material embellishments, the artist implicitly but perfectly\nconveys the affluent upbringing of the old woman. Through this work,\nAmorsolo epitomizes the mood and spirit of a bygone era of elegance\nand sophistication.
\nAside from being a master of Philippine landscapes, Fernando Amorsolo\nalso stood out among the portraitists of the 20th century. He created\nportraits of illustrious and prominent figures from the Filipino elite class,\nas well as Americans residing in Manila during the American colonial\nperiod. Amorsolo produced portraits with subjects who have compelling\nand individualized characters. In this portrait, Amorsolo brings into play\nhis chiaroscuro (light and shadow) trademark that he employed in his\nlandscapes. Using this technique, he excellently captures the likeness of\nnatural light as if it is reproduced in a photograph. Amorsolo also ensures\nthe authenticity and genuineness of the subject. Borrowing from the\nwritten words of his daughter Sylvia Amorsolo Lazo in the book Amorsolo:\nLove and Passion (Volume 1: Portraits), “any viewer would feel as if one is\nseeing the subject in person” when gazing over an Amorsolo portrait. The\nsubjects’ eyes in his portraits seem to follow the viewer in any position.","lot_group":"PAINTING","lot_details_html":"
Fernando Amorsolo (1892 - 1972) a) Portrait of a Woman signed and dated 1925 (lower left) oil on canvas 25” x 20” (64 cm x 51 cm) each
b) Portrait of a Man signed and dated 1925 (lower right) oil on canvas 25” x 20” (64 cm x 51 cm) each