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Lot Essay
The first paintings that many Filipino would remember would be the reproductions of Amorsolo's rural scenes on wall calendars. It is often commented that no Filipino artist in history has insinuated himself so successfully into the popular consciousness as Fernando C. Amorsolo. It is such dominance in the popular consciousness that sparked off a much heated debate in the art scene that criticised the commercially successful 'Amorsolo school' of paintings had paralysed the artistic sensibilities of the Filipino artists and audience for more than 3 decades.
Portraying the dalagang bukid in all her fineries even when planting rice, rural folks cheerfully engaging in harvesting or resting under the shade taking their lunch are just some of the numerous scenes by Amorsolo. Clearly, these are the subjects which have invigorated Amorsolo, therein lies the inherent criticism. The critics feel that these romantically rendered scenes are devoid of practicality and reality and therefore completely detached from life. Rustic life has been transformed into an idyllic existence on canvas, one finds no sweat, no hardship, no poverty with the rural community.
Nevertheless, the controversy remains a reaction of a generation after the master, it is a reaction to Amorsolo's popularity as well as his followers. One should bear in mind that, Amorsolo himself was no less revolutionary in making the country lass or dalagang bukid as the ideal beauty in lieu of the Greco-Roman or more generally the European tradition that the Philippines has been exposed to with the works of Juan Luna or Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo.
One should also not take for granted that as the 'Master of Light', Amorsolo is truly the first Filipino artist that depicts the effect of light truly as it appears on the canvas. The present lot is a composite symphony of the elements of a classic Amorsolo genre: the dazzling display of light and shadow, the bold handling of colours and textures, the skill in rendering of forms, the broad brushstrokes and the soft curvilinear lines, and above all the evocation of a romantic and atmospheric mood. All these element combined to create the world of Amorsolo, ever-happy, peaceful and ideal.
Portraying the dalagang bukid in all her fineries even when planting rice, rural folks cheerfully engaging in harvesting or resting under the shade taking their lunch are just some of the numerous scenes by Amorsolo. Clearly, these are the subjects which have invigorated Amorsolo, therein lies the inherent criticism. The critics feel that these romantically rendered scenes are devoid of practicality and reality and therefore completely detached from life. Rustic life has been transformed into an idyllic existence on canvas, one finds no sweat, no hardship, no poverty with the rural community.
Nevertheless, the controversy remains a reaction of a generation after the master, it is a reaction to Amorsolo's popularity as well as his followers. One should bear in mind that, Amorsolo himself was no less revolutionary in making the country lass or dalagang bukid as the ideal beauty in lieu of the Greco-Roman or more generally the European tradition that the Philippines has been exposed to with the works of Juan Luna or Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo.
One should also not take for granted that as the 'Master of Light', Amorsolo is truly the first Filipino artist that depicts the effect of light truly as it appears on the canvas. The present lot is a composite symphony of the elements of a classic Amorsolo genre: the dazzling display of light and shadow, the bold handling of colours and textures, the skill in rendering of forms, the broad brushstrokes and the soft curvilinear lines, and above all the evocation of a romantic and atmospheric mood. All these element combined to create the world of Amorsolo, ever-happy, peaceful and ideal.