{"status":true,"msg":{"data":{"id":1755,"auction_id":3,"set_id":4,"lot_number":"67","artist":"Francisco Reyes (1910 - 1990)","title":"Bathing (Naliligo)","starting_price":120000,"signed_dated":"signed, inscribed Manila P. I. and dated 1945 (lower right)","medium":"oil on canvas","size":"20\" x 16\" (51 cm x 41 cm)","property":null,"coa":null,"provenance":"A gift from the artist Francisco Reyes to Charles “Chuck” M. Dwelley, Torpedo Man, 3rd Class, while he served in Manila in 1945; and thence by descent.","exhibited":null,"literature":null,"write_up":"Illustrator, father of the Philippines’ “Jungle Lord” comic strip, and artist, Francisco “Kiko” Reyes is one of the unsung heroes of Filipino art, who foreshadowed the success of Mars Ravelo.
The comicbook encyclopedia carries this entry about Francisco Reyes, written by Dennis Villegas : “One of the pioneer Filipino comic illustrators. he was a student at the University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts, where his artworks greatly impressed his teacher Fernando Amorsolo. He won several awards in many art competitions. Upon graduation in 1932, Reyes joined Liwayway magazine. Later on, Reyes became the first art teacher of the young future National Artist Francisco V. Coching.
\n“On 7 July 1933, Reyes, in collaboration with writer Pedrito Reyes, created 'Kulafu', which was the first colored adventure strip, as well as the first two-page comic strip, in the Philippines. Heavily influenced by Edgar Rice Burroughs 'Tarzan', Kulafu's jungle-kingdom was set in the deep jungles of the southern Philippines, where he battled dragons, siukoy (mermen), and other mythical creatures.
\n“'Kulafu' became one of the most popular comic strips in the Philippines. It was translated into Bisaya, Bikolnon, Ilokano, and later, in Spanish for a South American magazine. The strip became a household name. It had become so popular that a local wine company even purchased the right to make \"Kulafu\" their brand name. Up to now, some 70 years after, Vino Kulafu is still selling well in the market.
“In 1936, Pedrito Reyes was unfortunately disabled. The task of bringing the weekly story fell on Francisco, who managed to develop further the plot originally scripted by Pedrito. Francisco even made a sequel in 1940 called 'Anak ni Kulafu'. During the Japanese Occupation, Reyes discontinued 'Kulafu', and instead worked as an artist for Shin-Seiki a Tagalog-Nippongo publication.”
\nIt was after the liberation of Manila that Reyes, aka ‘Kiko’ would meet and befriend the navy man Charles “Chuck” M. Dwelley. Dwelley would describe him as a “very well- known Philippine artist, former cartoonist on a big paper, and a popular figure in art circles” and noted that he drew “a syndicated cartoon for South America in the ‘Tarzan’ style.”
\nDwelley would be so pleased to make his acquaintance that he wrote to his wife in the U.S., to order oil paint “which are hard to get.” He instructed, “Get a good oil. I enjoy making friends like these and I want to show that my friendship is not all on the receiving end. Cigarettes etc are welcome but seem so common.”
\n\nThanks to Chuck Dwelley’s regular correspondence with his family, we are able to re-live the moment from the time the painting was a lightbulb that went off in Francisco’s mind — and interestingly enough, abetted by his good friend, Vicente ‘Vic’ Manansala.
\nThe work at hand depicts a character that could have stepped out of Reyes’ popular comic strips : A curvaceous girl adjusts her flowing tresses as she dips her toes into a green, lily- strewn pond. In the background is a Philippine jungle of bamboo thickets, verdant hills and an emerald waterfall.
\n\n12 OCTOBER 1945 \nThe Idea of a Bathing Beauty Begins
\n“(Reyes) did a sketch of one of the girls who was at the party and was to put her on canvas in a nice Flip gown for me. The rough sketch that developed from their afternoon exchange of opinions is an exotic picture with the girl in a sarong — jungle growth etc. Very attractive but where could you use such a picture?”\n
\n18 OCTOBER 1945 \n \nA Friendly Competition
\n“Kiko’s is coming swell — he’s really trying to top Vic’s (Manansala) but he’s out of his medium. I wanted him to do it in pen and ink but no again.”
\n \n20 OCTOBER 1945 \n \nThe Sarong is Painted Out — then Back in by Manansala. A Unique Collab of Reyes x Mananasala.
\n \n“Remember I told you about the oil Kiko (Reyes) was doing — the girl taking a dip in a stream. It was my wish for a girl in a Balintawak dress and she ended up in a sarong. Well, today Kiko decided to take off the sarong and he did — nude as a babe. It didn’t quite suit him so Vic (Manansala) put it back on in white — sort of transparent. Then they got to arguing about the painting. I darn near died laughing. Vic would grab the pallet (sic) and brushes and paint his ideas on the canvas furiously. Then Rey would grab them out of his hand and show how he wanted it. Meanwhile the picture was blossoming out wonderfully well. It will be done by tomorrow, I think, but will not be Rey’s or Vic’s work — a combination of both so they are now arguing who will sign it. They say they are going to put my name on it and let me take the blame.”","lot_group":"PAINTING","lot_details_html":"
Francisco Reyes (1910 - 1990) Bathing (Naliligo) signed, inscribed Manila P. I. and dated 1945 (lower right) oil on canvas 20\" x 16\" (51 cm x 41 cm)