Country Landscape (Riverside View of Santa Ana, Manila) signed (lower left) ca.1930 oil on canvas 31" x 39" (79 cm x 99 cm) PROVENANCE Acquired directly from the artist by Arsenio and Agapita Tenmatay in the 1930s. This painting by Fabian de la Rosa was said to have been commissioned by the couple Arsenio and Agapita Tenmatay, according to family tradition. Photos of it hanging in the family living room in their Don Quixote home in Sampaloc date back to at least the 1940s to 1950s. The painting can also be seen in the wedding photos of the couple’s daughter, Rosie Tenmatay, as she was about to get married to Jose A. Raquel Jr., on June 16, 1963, an information acquired from a copy of their marriage contract published by the Mormon-owned FamilySearch, which provides access to numerous family and ancestral history records. The painting is a survivor of two ravages. First was the holocaust of World War II, in which the descendants of Rosie Tenmatay recounted that their family was one of the very few clans in Sampaloc to retain their land and preserve their property after the liberation of Manila. The painting was also fortunately salvaged when a fire broke out in the house in 1999, though it sustained significant smoke damage. The painting would soon be shipped to the United States and displayed in Arsenio and Agapita’s new home abroad. Arsenio and Agapita were said to have been friends with the eminent Fabian de la Rosa. By the time De la Rosa painted this work, he had been serving for four years as the second Dean of the University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts, succeeding Don Rafael Enriquez in 1926. Arsenio, on the other hand, was at the peak of his career as a business professional and a civic leader of Sampaloc, Manila. The painting depicts what is possibly Santa Ana, Manila, then a popular vacation site or retiro for the rich and the businesspeople seeking a peaceful interlude from the hustle and bustle of Escolta and the overall hecticness of Downtown Manila. Santa Ana, during this time, offered the advantage of a relatively cooler climate, thanks to the breeze from the adjoining waters on the more serene side of the Pasig River; it was a countryside oasis of peace and solitude offering a quick, reinvigorating retreat from the city center. In the painting’s far left, a group of people, including a mother and her child, enjoy the lush fields and the mellow environment. Like many prominent people of their time, Arsenio and Agapita spent many holidays in Santa Ana, taking time off from their community and business obligations. The same can be said of the aging De la Rosa, who wanted a relief from his directorial responsibilities at the UP School of Fine Arts and to breathe the fresh country air. The work belongs to the third and final phase of De la Rosa’s career, spanning the late 1920s through his demise in 1937. Critic Aurelio Alvero (Magtanggul Asa) describes this period in De la Rosa’s career in his article “Art in Tagala” published in 1944, writing that it “seek[s] atmosphere vibration. Unshackled by academic details, he boldly strikes a different note. Massing and spacing stake his interest, and he leaves the play of colors to his other contemporaries. The beauty of the whole in a balance of emotiveness becomes the dominant spirit of his art...The works of this period are the works of a master treading along his path of the great.” At the time of this painting, De la Rosa had started to suffer from the strains of old age; complications from diabetes resulted in eye cataracts and, therefore, a dimming of his vision. A similar painting is in the collection of the National Museum of Fine Arts, also painted in 1930 and featuring many elements similar to those of the work at hand. Noticeable in this work is De la Rosa's emphasis on the work's overall atmosphere rather than on design nor the intricacy of the details, as with his practice during his prime years (exemplified by his 1904 magnum opus, Planting Rice), in which focus is placed on the academic discipline of classical, painstaking drawing, and balance and harmony of all elements within the painting are at the forefront. Simplification of forms, rendered through broader, casual brushstrokes, is especially evident in the leaves of the trees and the foliage, the rocky riverbanks laden with grass, and the various natural elements on the water. Elements of classical painting are still discernible, i.e., the dark, earthy tones—the "academic browns" dominant in the composition's palette. However, this can also be seen as a consequence of his failing eyesight. A portion of the Pasig River can be seen in the lower right, rendered in somber colors. Together with the hazy silhouettes of likely the mountains of Rizal Province in the background, the two elements add a layer of enigma and, by extension, drama. Nevertheless, a balance between dramaticism and lightness is achieved through a subtle tension between space and form, in which a simplified pictorial structure brings more clarity to the overall composition, as De la Rosa profoundly understood that shapes and geometry are nature's building blocks. The painting evokes and combines the earthiness of Juan Luna’s Japanese and Philippine landscapes created during his final years, the atmospheric quality of Diego Velázquez’s, and the natural drama of Rembrandt’s, as seen in the swirling dark clouds that slowly envelop the blue skies. De la Rosa, by this time, had recently seen the works of Velázquez and Rembrandt during his sojourn to Europe in 1928, on a trip sponsored by the American colonial government to showcase the “progress of art” in the Philippines. De la Rosa also synthesizes the Impressionistic skills and techniques he gained from being a student of the famous French portraitist Marcel-Andre Baschet at the Academie Julien in Paris, during his first European sojourn from 1908 to 1910 as a pensionado of Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin.
Album consisting of 16 watercolors with Filipino traditional themes. Fifteen of them signed. Twelve of them located (Manila). One dated (905). This important album depicts scenes from the daily life of peasants and villagers in the Philippines: views with boats in the background, traditional landscapes, harvest scenes, river motifs, etc.
Portrait of a Man with a Hat signed and dated 1910 (lower right) oil on canvas 29" x 19" (74 cm x 48 cm) PROVENANCE Private Collection, Paris It is an indisputable fact that Fabian de la Rosa shaped the trajectory of Philippine painting at the dawn of the 20th century, a crucial period of transition from one colonial empire to another. In this milieu, Philippine painting was freeing itself from the confines of Spanish academism towards the relaxed and liberated atmosphere of Impressionism, thanks to Luna and Hidalgo's exposure to French modernism. "De la Rosa was the transition between the end of the Spanish period and the beginning of the American occupation," wrote Alfredo Roces in his footnotes in his monograph on Fernando Amorsolo. "…Having been abroad twice, [de la Rosa] even tried to incorporate some of the impressionist influences…" The art historian and critic Aurelio Alvero (Magtanggul Asa) divided de la Rosa's career into three distinct yet overlapping periods. Of his first period, Alvero wrote as "reveal[ing] an academical art, whose dark tones seek the classical. He details figures but misses atmosphere. De la Rosa's magnum opus of his first period is the iconic Planting Rice, which won the gold medal at the 1904 St. Louis International Exposition, making him only the fourth Filipino artist to garner international recognition after Simon Flores, Luna, and Hidalgo. Planting Rice can be best described as possessing "the principles of painstaking drawing and harmonious colors," as the art historian Luciano P.R. Santiago put it in his essay "Fabian de la Rosa, 20th Century Filipino Master." By the second decade of the 1900s, de la Rosa would begin his creative metamorphosis, emancipating himself from the overtly elaborate and design-centered realm of his academic upbringing. De la Rosa's artistic renaissance is attributed to his two-year European sojourn as a pensionado. De la Rosa was supposed to leave for Spain in 1898 to study under a scholarship grant at the famed Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. However, this did not materialize when the second phase of the Philippine Revolution broke out. In 1908, de la Rosa's dream of studying abroad finally materialized when his foremost patron, the famous Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin, through funding from his own Compania General de Tabacos, sponsored his scholarship to Europe. De la Rosa found the dynamic artistic climate of Europe suitable to his creative impulses; he saw in their unbridled grandeur, for the very first time, the works of the legendary European maestros hanging in major museums, which he had only previously seen in magazines. "For the first time, he beheld, studied, and copied the works of the old masters in European museums, which he had only seen previously in poor copies," wrote Santiago. "He also painted landscapes and the portraits of notables in Rome and Paris, such as the Countess Berny." De la Rosa enrolled at the Academie Julian in Paris and studied under the famous French portraitist Marcel-André Baschet. Notably, the Academie Julian was highly regarded for its inclusive learning environment, contrasting with its more famous yet conservative sister, the Ecole des Beaux- Arts. The liberal training the Academie Julian offered not only nurtured the development of avant-garde styles but also encouraged numerous foreign artists to hone their artistic talents (the Ecole des Beaux-Arts was notorious for its ridiculously difficult French examination, an obstacle to aspiring foreign students), including de la Rosa, the Mexican muralist Diego Rivera, American impressionists Theodore Robinson and Robert Henri, French Post- Impressionist Paul Sérusier, Cubist pioneer Fernand Leger, Fauvist leader Henri Matisse, and Dadaist icon Marcel Duchamp. De la Rosa would return to the Philippines in 1910, armed with a newfound sense of artistry. The work at hand, titled Portrait of a Man with a Hat, was painted by de la Rosa immediately after his homecoming. This period would mark de la Rosa's Impressionist phase, making him a key figure in the development of Philippine Impressionism. During this time, de la Rosa had also just joined the faculty of the newly established University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts as an instructor in decorative arts, which would become his primary source of income alongside painting genre scenes and portraits of European and American expats. Baschet's influence is discerned through the work's lighter atmosphere, contrasting with the heavier, darker undertones of de la Rosa's paintings during his first artistic phase, where he was under the rigid spell of classicism. The work possesses impressionistic undertones, discernible in how de la Rosa juxtaposes his use of a lighter color scheme with his solid foundation in classical realism, resulting in a palpable airiness. The lighter palette also emphasizes the mood, implying a lack of tension between the sitter and the painter and a refined elegance that speaks of a renewed glow in one's creative vision.
Fabian de la Rosa (San Fernando de Paco, Manila, 1869 - Quiapo, Manila, 1937) “Boy looking for shells on the beach” Oil on canvas Signed 92x124 cm 20.000 - 25.000 €
PROPERTY FORMERLY IN THE DON ANSELMO TRINIDAD COLLECTION Seated Nude Study signed, dated 1905 and inscribed "ROMA" (upper left) oil on canvas 10" x 8" (25 cm x 20 cm) A Roman Beauty by a Filipino Master Dama Romana by Fabian de la Rosa Amongst the notable portraitists in Philippine art history, no one deserves to be on that list as much as Fabian de la Rosa. Perhaps the most famous Filipino artist internationally during his heyday, de la Rosa’s portraits spoke of the long-held tradition of commissioning for one’s images, as many patrons are wont to do. With this 1905 Seated Nude Study, created one year after he won his first gold medal at the St. Louis Exposition, de la Rosa turns a typical portrait (and indeed, a typical nude) onto its head. Portraying a naked woman on the beach, she looks over her shoulder, her arm and the rock outcrop she sits on artfully covering her. She stares wistfully at the distance, an expression reminiscent of the prim and proper portraits he creates. In this refreshing twist, de la Rosa proves his prowess as a portraitist yet again, marrying his excellent skill in painting and portraiture to create this truly unique piece. (Hannah Valiente)
Fabian de LA ROSA (Paco, Manille, 1869 - Quiapo, Manille, 1937) Portrait d’homme au chapeau Toile Portrait of a gentleman wearing a hat, canvas, by F. de La Rosa 29.13 x 18.90 in. 74.0 x 48.0 cm Fabian de la Rosa est le peintre Philippin le plus important au tournant des années 1900. Il apprend les rudiments du métier auprès de sa tante Mariana de la Rosa, avant de poursuivre son apprentissage avec Simon Flores. A 22 ans, il se fait remarquer avec un portrait féminin, La Perla de Lucban. Il rejoint, deux ans plus tard, l'Escuela Superior de Pintura, sous la direction de Don Lorenzo Rocha (1837-1898). Il fréquente ensuite d'autres ateliers à Quiapo, Santa Cruz ou Manille, auprès de qui il puise une nouvelle inspiration, notamment chez Lorenzo Guerrero et Miguel Zaragoza. En avril 1898, l'effondrement du régime espagnol qui suit la deuxième Révolution l'empêche d'aller étudier à Madrid. En 1900, il épouse Gorgonia Tolentino et ils recueillent leurs neveux orphelins chez eux. En 1904, il remporte sa première médaille d'or pour Planting Rice à l'Exposition de St. Louis. Une seconde occasion de partir en Europe se présente en 1908, lors de la fondation de l'Ecole des Beaux-Arts de l'Université des Philippines. De la Rosa reçoit une bourse de la fabrique de cigares Germinal qui lui permet de fréquenter l'Académie Julian à Paris puis l'Académie des Beaux-arts de San Fernando à Madrid. Rentré dans sa ville natale en 1910, il devient professeur à l'Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Manille puis directeur de 1927 à 1937. Il effectue une dernière tournée en Europe en 1928 et peint à Paris, Munich, Genève, Rome et enfin à Madrid. C'est là qu'il présente une exposition solo remarquée à l'Ateneo. Notre toile est datée de 1910, juste au retour de son premier voyage en Europe. La gamme colorée restreinte retient l'élégance raffinée de Whistler ou de Jacques-Emile Blanche, son cadrage s'inspire de certains tableaux de Degas. Le modèle évoque le garçon du Déjeuner dans l'atelier de Manet (1868, Neue Pinakothek, Munich), qui porte un canotier. Notre modèle tiendrait plutôt dans sa main un chapeau de type Panama, symbole d'élégance, à la mode au début du XXe siècle. Fabian de LA ROSA (Paco, Manille, 1869 - Quiapo, Manille, 1937) 74.0 x 48.0 cm Fabian de la Rosa est le peintre Philippin le plus important au tournant des années 1900. Il apprend les rudiments du métier auprès de sa tante Mariana de la Rosa, avant de poursuivre son apprentissage avec Simon Flores. A 22 ans, il se fait remarquer avec un portrait féminin, La Perla de Lucban. Il rejoint, deux ans plus tard, l'Escuela Superior de Pintura, sous la direction de Don Lorenzo Rocha (1837-1898). Il fréquente ensuite d'autres ateliers à Quiapo, Santa Cruz ou Manille, auprès de qui il puise une nouvelle inspiration, notamment chez Lorenzo Guerrero et Miguel Zaragoza. En avril 1898, l'effondrement du régime espagnol qui suit la deuxième Révolution l'empêche d'aller étudier à Madrid. En 1900, il épouse Gorgonia Tolentino et ils recueillent leurs neveux orphelins chez eux. En 1904, il remporte sa première médaille d'or pour Planting Rice à l'Exposition de St. Louis. Une seconde occasion de partir en Europe se présente en 1908, lors de la fondation de l'Ecole des Beaux-Arts de l'Université des Philippines. De la Rosa reçoit une bourse de la fabrique de cigares Germinal qui lui permet de fréquenter l'Académie Julian à Paris puis l'Académie des Beaux-arts de San Fernando à Madrid. Rentré dans sa ville natale en 1910, il devient professeur à l'Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Manille puis directeur de 1927 à 1937. Il effectue une dernière tournée en Europe en 1928 et peint à Paris, Munich, Genève, Rome et enfin à Madrid. C'est là qu'il présente une exposition solo remarquée à l'Ateneo. Notre toile est datée de 1910, juste au retour de son premier voyage en Europe. La gamme colorée restreinte retient l'élégance raffinée de Whistler ou de Jacques-Emile Blanche, son cadrage s'inspire de certains tableaux de Degas. Le modèle évoque le garçon du Déjeuner dans l'atelier de Manet (1868, Neue Pinakothek, Munich), qui porte un canotier. Notre modèle tiendrait plutôt dans sa main un chapeau de type Panama, symbole d'élégance, à la mode au début du XXe siècle.
Old Spanish Bridge signed (lower left) oil on canvas 28” x 14” (71 cm x 36 cm) PROVENANCE: Alfonso T. Ongpin Collection WRITE UP The first third of the 20th-century Philippine art scene could arguably be called the “age of Fabian de la Rosa.” The best the Philippine art scene has to offer, de la Rosa breathed life into genre painting – it was he who Luciano P.R. Santiago singled out in his essay “Fabian de la Rosa, 20th Century Master” as the unwitting catalyst of this genre, championing the genre as he created works that are, to quote critic Emilio Aguilar Cruz, “nearer to the native soil.” A true Renaissance man, de la Rosa was, aside from painting, adept in Spanish, English, and Tagalog, with a notable handle of Italian and French during his academic sojourn abroad. Aside from that, he was an educator, an exceptional violinist, a historian, and a writer, with his essays being the first to provide an overview of the history of art in the Philippines. His works, just like his writings, exalt everything Filipino. His landscapes accurately depict the sights around him, with Aguilar Cruz noting that he followed not in the footsteps of the Europeanized Filipino artists but the local sceneries that moved him with far more gusto than any other sights. As he puts the Philippine landscapes in his background, it was to be championed by the foreign patrons eager to experience the invigorating Philippine countryside for themselves. With the lot in hand entitled Old Spanish Bridge, de la Rosa’s capabilities in the genre are fully experienced. Depicting a serene creek bubbling underneath a well-used stone bridge. The lyricism, realism, and romanticism of de la Rosa's oeuvre are evident as he portrays this scene washed in cool, almost muddy sunlight. One could almost feel the cool creak underneath their feet and bask in the silence that de la Rosa so intricately portrays. Old Spanish Bridge is best described as an image of the past, quite in brand for de la Rosa who lived through both the Spanish Philippines and the American Philippines and had to contend with the rapid changes. The result is an idyllic view of the past, serene in its contentment. There is a virality in his works as they straddle the line of nostalgia and longing. His cool and earthy color palette brings to life the bucolic Philippine countryside as they are pulled in two different directions. “In [Fabian de la Rosa], the autochthonous Philippine painting of the last century reached full flowering, and in his whole career is summed up all that is good in the past,” writes Emilio Aguilar Cruz. “De la Rosa’s greatness lies just where greatness does in any department of human activity, namely in rising above the leveling sentiments and prejudices of one’s time.” (Hannah Valiente)
PROPERTY FROM THE DON J. ANTONIO ARANETA COLLECTION Landscape signed and dated 1922 (lower right) watercolor on paper 12" x 17 1/2" (30 cm x 44 cm) LITERATURE Araneta, Antonio S., ed. 1030 R. Hidalgo: Volume II, Legacy in Art. Manila: Mara, Inc., 1986. Full-color illustration and painting description on page 72. Duldulao, Manuel D. The Philippine Art Scene. Manila: Maber Books, Inc., 1977. Full color photograph on page 243; Catalogued in the caption on page 244. WRITE UP Fabian de la Rosa's 1922 Landscape proves art critic Emilio Aguilar Cruz correct when he described the artist's works as "nearer to the native soil." In his cool soft palette, de la Rosa transforms a windy grassy patch in the woods into a place of rest and relaxation. This view shows a virility that throbs throughout the painting – de la Rosa's landscapes are so intimate that one could feel the breeze fluttering around them should they focus hard enough. Nostalgia is the currency that de la Rosa banks on. “In [Fabian de la Rosa], the autochthonous Philippine painting of the last century reached full flowering, and in his whole career is summed up all that is good in the past,” continues Aguilar Cruz. In his exaltation of the local Filipino views, he brings the Philippine landscapes to the international stage, with foreign patrons championing his works in a bid to experience the enchanting Philippine countryside for themselves. (Hannah Valiente)
Fabian de la Rosa (San Fernando de Paco, Manila, 1869 - Quiapo, Manila, 1937) "Landscape with Mountain" Watercolour Signed and dated 1894 48 x 61 cm 6.000 - 8.000 €
Fabian de la Rosa (San Fernando de Paco, Manila, Philippines, 1869 - Quiapo, 1937) "Portrait of Mestiza" Oil on canvas. Signed and situated in Manila. 76,5 x 46 cm. Fabian de la Rosa was a prominent Filipino artist known for his portraits and scenes of Filipino life. Born in Manila in 1869, he received his first art lessons at the age of 10 and later studied at the School of Fine Arts and Drawing. In 1893, he entered the Escuela Superior de Pintura and received classes from renowned artists. In 1908, he obtained a scholarship and traveled to Europe, where he studied at the Académie Julian in Paris. Upon his return, he became a professor at the University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts and was also a mentor to other artists. De la Rosa was recognized for his grace and skill in painting, capturing the essence of Filipino life and leaving a lasting legacy in the Philippine art community. Moreover, during his career as director of the School of Fine Arts, he had the opportunity to showcase his talent in painting, making trips to Europe and developing different styles. Initially, his style was academic and focused on formal portraits. Then, during his second visit to Europe, his art underwent a transition to a softer and more atmospheric style, influenced by the realism of Gustave Courbet and French painting. In his later works, De la Rosa focused on the use of color and painted Filipino motifs dressed in ethnic costumes in different scenes. His European training and mastery of the brush raised the standards for later artists, and he is considered a pioneer and one of the leading Filipino painters of the 20th century. Fabian de la Rosa died on December 15, 1938 in his Manila apartment.
PROPERTY FROM THE DON ARISTON BAUTISTA LIN COLLECTION The Old Servant signed (lower right), ca. 1917 oil on wood 14" x 9 1/2" (36 cm x 24 cm) PROVENANCE: A gift from the Artist to Don Ariston Bautista Lin WRITE UP: Luciano P.R. Santiago would write, “Besides his inheritance from his parents, Dr. Bautista magnified his family fortune by founding the Germinal Cigar and Cigarette Co. A philanthropist of boundless generosity, he awarded the annual Germinal Prize,. He also granted scholarships to brilliant Filipino students to widen their training abroad in their chosen fields. This included Fabian de la Rosa, now considered one of the greatest Filipino painters.” In the work of hand, the master Fabian de la Rosa has created a moving classical vignette of an old man. His confident strokes and coloration reflect the years of study in Italy thanks to a grant from Don Ariston Bautista. The artwork would hang in one of the connecting rooms in the Bahay NakpilBautista in Calle Barbosa in Quiapo. (Lisa Guerrero Nakpil)
Fabian de la Rosa (San Fernando de Paco, Manila, 1869 - Quiapo, Manila, 1937) "Fishermen by the Beach" Oil on canvas Signed 60 x 86 cm 30.000 - 35.000 €
FABIÁN DE LA ROSA San Fernando de Paco, Manila, Philippines 1869 - Quiapo 1937 Portrait of General Arsenio Martínez Campos. 1897 Oil on canvas Signed and dated in Manila Measurements 55 x 34 cm Origin: - Heirs of General Arsenio Martínez Campos. We find ourselves before one of the official portraits of the Spanish military man and politician Arsenio Martínez Campos (Segovia 1831 - Zarauz, Guipúzcoa 1900) made by the great Filipino painter Fabián de la Rosa. In 1897 De la Rosa put an end to his artistic studies at the Superior School of Painting, Sculpture and Engraving of Manila under the mastery of Lorenzo Guerrero and Miguel Zaragoza. A year later he obtained a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando in Madrid but the Philippine Revolution cut short his dream. Curiously, in an issue of The Spanish and American Illustration from March 1891 there is a portrait similar to this portrait that could well have served as inspiration for the young artist. The portrait shows the military laureate sitting on a chair wearing his best clothes, the uniform of Captain General of the Army on which the numerous decorations stand out, among them the Golden Fleece. Bibliography: The Spanish and American Illustration, Madrid, 22.IV.1891, p. 241 and 242.
PROPERTY FROM THE AMBASSADOR PEDRO CONLU HERNAEZ COLLECTION Orilla del Rio Pasig signed (lower left) ca. 1920 pastel on canvas 12” x 20” (30 cm x 53 cm) WRITE UPOne of the most prominent painters the country produced in the early 20th century was Fabian de la Rosa. Instead of the grandiose scenes in Western art depicting mythologies, historic battles, or religious imagery, Fabian excelled in the exploration of the Filipino condition, the humble yet tranquil life they lived that are rarely given importance in the historical chronicles. Fabian was born in Paco, Manila on May 5, 1869. His first experience with the brush began in his early childhood under the tutelage of his aunt and uncle – Mariana de la Rosa and Simeon Flores respectively – who were themselves painters. Desiring to expand his passion further, Fabian later enrolled in the Escuela Superior de Pintura, Grabado y Escultura (lit. “Higher School of Painting, Engraving, and Sculpture) under the tutelage of master painters such as Miguel Zaragoza and Lorenzo Rocha. Setbacks, such as the eruption of the Philippine Revolution and the PhilippineAmerican War, prevented him from pursuing further art studies in Europe. Nevertheless, his hands were not idle and he began creating paintings that earned him recognition from foreign audiences. His dream of studying in Spain would become a reality in 1908 and he would return to the Philippines two years later to help expand the horizons of budding Filipino artists. One such person he mentored was his own nephew, one named Fernando Amorsolo. Fabian died in the land of his birth on December 14, 1937 within the age of 68 years old. Fabian created many artworks throughout his lifetime. One such work within the Gallery’s collection is an untitled canvas depicting four traditional houses (bahay or balay), supported by wooden pillars (haligi), next to a calm and soothing riverbank. While not as architecturally sophisticated in the standards of modern urban society, the traditional bahay still retains its place within the fascination and nostalgia of the Filipino people for it is a shared heritage in the archipelago regardless of geographic and ethno-cultural divide. Although humble in structure, the bahay was the place of refuge of our ancestors since time immemorial and it makes evident the ingenuity and pragmatic nature of Filipinos. Due to its light materials, it is easily built by experienced hands and can be abandoned or lifted up even under short notice, whenever the situation calls for such drastic action. Our ancestors built their bahay near riverbanks because they understood, just like many civilizations, that life thrives in the living flowing waters that can provide immediate sustenance and suitable ground for agriculture. (Christian Talaguit)
Fabian de la Rosa (San Fernando de Paco, Manila, 1869 - Quiapo, Manila, 1937) "Woman reclining on a terrace" Watercolour Signed 51 x 34 cm 5.000 - 7.000 €
Fabián de la Rosa (San Fernando de Paco, Manila, Philippines, 1869 - Quiapo, 1937) "Possible portrait of Eulalio Carmelo, father of the aviator Alfredo Carmelo " Oil on canvas. Signed. 72 x 58,5 cm.
Fabián de la Rosa (1869 - 1937) Landscape with Nipa Hut signed, inscribed Manila and dated 1905 (lower right) watercolor on paper 13" x 9 1/2" (33 cm x 24 cm) PROVENANCE: The "Germinal" Cigarette Factory's Souvenir, Manila, August 1905; Private Collection, UK Fabian de la Rosa Master of Plein-Air by LISA GUERRERO NAKPIL In 1905, the year this peaceful paisaje or country scene was painted, Fabian de la Rosa had most certainly come into his own. He had skillfully developed a talent for plein-air painting, honed on the sidewalks of Manila when he was obliged to make and sell handpainted postcards for the tourist trade. De la Rosa had deftly followed in the tradition of his uncle before him, Simon Flores of renown, slowly but surely building a well-heeled clientele first of Spanish and then the newly-minted American officialdom. One of his first patrons was the American consul Williams who would rescue him from imprisonment as a combatant in the Philippine-American War. It was Williams who would arrange various important commissions including the depiction of “The Death of General Lawton.” That major canvas would travel to the St. Louis World’s Fair of 1904. It was another work, however, titled “Planting Rice”, that would attract public adulation at the American exposition designed to showcase its first colonial acquisition, the Philippines, and bring home the gold for de la Rosa. Thus, he would be basking in the afterglow of this triumph when his old friend and another influential patron, Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin would commission this and probably other watercolors on behalf of the Germinal Cigar and Cigarette Company that he owned. Dr. Bautista was one of the original ilustrados who had been educated in Madrid and lived in Paris, a familiar and confidante of Jose Rizal and the Luna brothers. The mark of La Germinal gives this charming artwork an additional pedigree and provenance. The work at hand employs an rare and unusual approach to this paisaje : a view of a “sapa” or little creek as a device to mirror in its quiet reflection the gentle view of bananas and bamboos. The thatched hut appears to be constructed as an afterthought, although its careful detailing says otherwise.
Fabián de la Rosa (1869 - 1937) Filipina with Red Parasol signed, inscribed Manila, dated 1911 (lower left) oil on canvas 19 1/2" x 14" (50 cm x 36 cm) PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Cincinnati, USA Old master Fabián de la Rosa returns to the lyrical style that first put him on the road to renown, capturing a typical ‘Tipo del Pais’, or county woman. The ‘Filipina with a Red Parasol’ is a charming composition from 1911, which puts him squarely back in Manila after his foreign studies in painting and as one of the respected instructors at the University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts which was founded just two years before under the American regime. De la Rosa would be called one of the painters who could best capture a Filipino summer’s day. In this work at hand, a woman — interestingly dressed in the Philippine flag’s tri-color — strolls through a Manila borough. She raises the hem of her skirt daintily to reveal a dark velvet slipper. A dirt road, a thatch hut and a stand of banana trees wreath the feminine figure who looks away from the viewer. (Lisa Guerrero Nakpil)
Fabian de la Rosa (Filipino, 1869-1937) Filipino landscape with Nipa hut signed, dated and inscribed 'F. de la Rosa/MANILA 905' (lower right) watercolour 32 x 23.2cm (12 5/8 x 9 1/8in). For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website
1899; oil on wood panel; signed, dated, and inscribed "Manila" lower right; Provenance: Property from a San Diego Estate; 9 1/2 x 13 1/4 inches; 12 1/2 x 16 inches frame
Views of the Pasig River signed (lower right) each oil on canvas 20 1/2" x 12" (52 cm x 30 cm) each PROPERTY FROM THE DOÑA NENE QUIMSON COLLECTION Like his uncle, the equally talented Simon Flores, Fabian de la Rosa would find himself enrolled as well at the Manila Academia in Intramuros. Orphaned at age 16, however, he would have to drop out in his third year. He would remain a lifelong friend with his teacher, the most admired of his time, Don Lorenzo Guerrero. De la Rosa would soon take his talent for painting to the sidewalk, selling small works to tourists for fifty centavos each. He is said to have honed his talents from both the city and the country, from where he became acquainted with the minutiae of daily life by dint of hard work and the use of his powers of observation. In this striking pair of views of the Pasig River, he demonstrates the dexterity that would make him one of the most sought-after landscape painters — a watershed moment that he would establish as the link between the two other great artists from his bloodline : Simon Flores and Fernando Amorsolo. Both exemplify what the art critic Aurelio Alvero would call the pinnacle of de la Rosa’s artistry : when “seeking atmospheric vibration, and unshackled by academic details, he boldly strikes a different note.” The twin reflections on the water show different facets of Filipino country life: the first, captures the coolness of an early morning breeze while the second, depicts the warmth of a summer afternoon. One expresses the solitude brought with the oneness of nature; the other, the busyness of a happy home life; two neighbors living side by side, demonstrated by a pair of thatch roofs, clotheslines bowed down with laundry. Between 1893 and 1897, Fabian de la Rosa would begin to make a name for himself, alongside his contemporaries Jorge Pineda and Ramon Peralta. He would become successful enough to be impatient and in 1898, began lobbying for the annual Madrid art scholarships be re-instated. It would be the only that he could possibly afford to study abroad. His chances would be swept away by the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-American War that followed soon after. Nevertheless, he would continue to build a clientele of the wealthy who would come to his studio to be immortalized in portraits. At the pivotal St. Louis World’s Fair of 1904 — where the newly-minted American empire was eager to show off its latest possession — Fabian de la Rosa brought home the gold for his work “Planting Rice”. It was the passing of the baton from Spain’s enfant terrible Juan Luna to the verdant vistas of Fabian de la Rosa. The new colonial caesars had correctly divined that art was the final act of conquest.
Fabian de la Rosa (1869 - 1937) Nude I & II signed, dated, and inscribed 1908, Paris (lower right) oil on canvas 30” x 20” (79 cm x 51 cm) each PROPERTY FROM THE DON BENITO J. LEGARDA JR. COLLECTION The artistic prowess of 20th-century Filipino master painter Fabian de la Rosa was acquired from both his academic training in the arts and extensive cultural knowledge. Most significant in his revered body of work are his genre paintings and portraits of women subjects. Aside from his iconic oeuvre, he also authored the country’s first outline of art history and first essays on painting. As one of the first directors and pioneering instructors of the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts, he introduced classical decorative art to his students. He won his first gold medal at the 1904 St. Louis International Exposition for his groundbreaking work, Planting Rice. De la Rosa epitomized the artistic mastery of Juan Luna and his contemporaries. These dignified nude portraits that feature a woman in paradigmatic side poses perfectly encapsulates De la Rosa’s predilection for a realist-romanticist style in depicting the human figure in its state of nature. Identified as belonging to the first period of De la Rosa’s artistic development, these portraits were painted in 1908 when he first embarked to Europe as a scholar. During that year, De la Rosa traveled to the Occidental as a pensionado, becoming a private scholar of businessman and philanthropist Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin. As exhibited by the artist in these portraits, his art during this period was characterized by darkened hues and meticulously accurate figures influenced by his formal training in the arts. His technical virtuosity was also emancipated, paving the way for a more refined stylistic expression. Altogether, his works are celebrated and critically lauded both in the local and international art scene.
Fabian dela Rosa (1869 - 1937) a) Male Nude I signed and inscribed Paris, 1908 (lower right) oil on canvas 28” x 18 1/2” (71 cm x 47 cm) b) Male Nude II 31” x 18 1/2” (79 cm x 47 cm) PROPERTY FROM THE BENITO J. LEGARDA JR. COLLECTION WRITE UP: Fabian Dela Rosa was one of the active master artists who pushed for the incorporation of the School of Fine Arts in the University of the Philippines where he became its second director, next to Don Rafael Enriquez. He taught decorative painting in the university and made highly remarkable portraits. In the same year the School was established, 1908, De la Rosa traveled as a private scholar to Europe. Even if he already developed his distinct style at 39, he was still ever-passionate in looking for novel ways of rendering old subjects. From around 1908-1910, he studied the works of the old masters in European museums which he could see firsthand. He also learned about French portrait painter Marcel-André Baschet’s techniques at the Academie Julian. This second phase in De la Rosa’s artistic career was described by art critic Aurelio Alvero as a “transition from emphasis on design to importance of atmosphere, clearly manifesting the influence of the French modern school.” Learning from academic art, De la Rosa stressed the importance of life drawings as the foundation to mastery of portraiture and human forms. Evident in these particular nude pieces is the master artist’s adeptness in figure drawing. The technical precision in rendering the subject’s body shows his artistic genius and the foreign academic art techniques that impacted his craft. De la Rosa’s realist-romanticist perspective in rendering the human form is showcased. He unleashes his technical draftsmanship and signature dark tones which marked his works during this period. One is also reminded of French realist painter Gustave Courbet whose gift of imagination and unconventional works at that time influenced De la Rosa.
PROPERTY FROM THE DON EUGENIO M. LOPEZ JR. COLLECTION Fabian de la Rosa (1869 - 1937) - Dalagang Filipina in Native Dress signed and dated 1922 (lower right) watercolor Estimate USD : $24000-$31200 Estimate Euros : €20000-€26000
PROPERTY FROM THE DON EUGENIO M. LOPEZ JR. COLLECTION Fabian de la Rosa (1869 - 1937) - Dalagang Filipina in Native Dress signed and dated 1922 (lower right) watercolor Estimate USD : $24000-$31200 Estimate Euros : €20000-€26000
Fabián de la Rosa (1869 - 1937) A Penny for Your Thoughts Ca. 1920 signed (upper right) oil on panel 14” x 11” (36 cm x 28 cm) Estimate USD $40000-$52000 Estimate Euros €33333.33-€43333.33
Fabian dela Rosa, (1869 - 1937), Dos Hermanas, signed (lower left) dated 1930 (lower right), oil on canvas35” x 26” (88 cm x 66 cm), PROPERTY FROM THE DON RAFAEL PALMA COLLECTION, With an inscription that reads in part: Dedicated to Don Rafael Palma, “Con Admiracion y Amistad (With Admiration and Friendship)” and Signed “El Autor (The Author)”, P.I. — 1930
The presence of a woman’s portrait within the setting of painting draws the two subjects closely together, both formally and psychologically. Titled Mr. and Mrs. Fulgencio T. Borromeo, the portrait is a complex portrayal of marriage, suggesting the authoritative strength of the man and the tenderness and trust of the woman. The spotlight in the portrait is Don Fulgencio T. Borromeo. Indeed a very successful man, he served as a debate stenographer in the first national assembly, the legislature under the Jones Law era at the beginning of the American occupation, and soon became the president of the Bank of the Philippine Islands. Don Fulgencio dearly loved the arts, classical music, and opera from London, Germany, and most European capitals as much as he loved listening to news broadcasts. Accompanying him in this portrait is his wife Teodora Quintos. After getting married, the couple settled in a plush neighborhood at the corner of Oroquieta and Mayhaligue Streets in Sta. Cruz, Manila—their abode was given the name The Garden of Eden. Don Fulgencio and Aling Doray as they became popularly known were blessed with twelve children: Dick, Pacita, Tony, Tudie, Ramon, Conching, Horacio, Peping, Johnny, Titang, Nena, and Rosie. Also featured inside the painting is a portrait of Doña Escoslastica Torres, mother of Don Fulgencio whom they regarded as Nanay. Nanay, as her grandchildren described her, was “a very nice and gentle woman. . . . However, is terror when is mad.” The colors and strange watery light create an almost ephemeral moment. The smudgy background accentuates the sharp focus of the couple, fulfilling de la Rosa’s search for the effects of spontaneity and informality. The artist gives watercolor a freshness of vision and an individuality that sets a standard that inspires up to this day. This painting is a rare work of de la Rosa for it does not fall under the usual categories of his work: the academic paintings, the formal portraits, the character sketches, and the European figure paintings.
A narrative of light, Fabian de la Rosa looks to the remote landscapes of the country to inspire his moody and richly textured paintings. He brings together aspects of painting in narrative works that highlight some of the country’s most impressive cultural images. With an eye for detail and an assured technique, he brings his “barely there” subjects to life with a deceptive sense of economy. One of the most profound influences on Philippine genre and painting, in general, was Fabian de la Rosa, the brightest name in Philippine painting after Luna and certainly the most important in the first quarter of the century. As an artist, de la Rosa saw life with a cool eye, without the wistful lyricism of Hidalgo or the heroics of Luna. His style, a realism tempered by a genteel native sensitivity learned from Simon Flores, was bolstered by a knowledge of the realist school of Courbet, boosted by his stay in Europe. He saw people and landscapes with a profound respect for their unguarded moments, quiet strength, and simplicity. In this bucolic landscape, de la Rosa reworks the familiar themes of workers in the fields, but with an even greater sense of emotion and grandeur. Out of deceptively simple visual ingredients, and a result of a lifetime’s relationship with nature, he has created an almost palpable emotion of landscape. However, while there is no imaginary audience implied by this picture, there is nevertheless a real one: the observer.
After spending several years in various countries exhibiting his pieces, Fabian dela Rosa returned to the Philippines as one of the fi rst instructors of the UP School of Fine Arts and soon rose to become its fi rst director. During his time abroad, he was able to hone diff erent styles and techniques, and this piece - with bold strokes used to render the boats and the sea - is an example of the infl uence of French Impressionism. Dela Rosa came to be known as the 'Father of the Philippine Genre' for his body of work depicting everyday life. In this tondo painting, diff used colors in the sky are contrasted with the long strokes representing the sea where several boats are due to set sail. This work is comparable to Casa de Pescadores en Tondo (1928), which was sold at Salcedo Auctions in 2016, and had been exhibited in Spain, reviewed by credible art critics at that time.
Fabian de la Rosa La Restauracion de la Bandera Filipina with words stated “La Vangardia, dated Octubre 30, 1919” Antique Philippine Poster 24”x 16” (61 cm x 41 cm)
