Guillermo Tolentino Paintings & Artwork for Sale | Guillermo Tolentino Art Value Price Guide

Jan. 25, 2025
Guillermo Tolentino (1890-1976)
Est: ₱650,000 - ₱845,000
Bust of Dr. Jose Rizal plaster of paris H: 27" (69 cm) L: 8" (20 cm) W: 17" (43 cm)
Leon Gallery
Jan. 25, 2025
Guillermo Tolentino (1890-1976)
Est: ₱20,000 - ₱26,000
PROPERTY FROM THE JOSE ABAD LOPEZ COLLECTION A Bust of a Man signed plaster of paris H: 8 3/4" (22 cm) W: 3 1/2" (9 cm) L: 4 1/2" (11 cm)
Leon Gallery
Nov. 30, 2024
Guillermo Tolentino (1890 - 1976) - Bust of Andres Bonifacio
Est: ₱400,000 - ₱520,000
PROPERTY FROM THE PROFESSOR AMBETH R. OCAMPO COLLECTION Bust of Andres Bonifacio inscribed with Baybayin that reads "BO-NI-PA-[S]-YO" and with "Bonifacio" below it, both by Tolentino, renowed authority in Philippine script plaster of paris bust with bronze paint plaster casts H: 29" (74 cm) L: 12" (30 cm) W: 21 1/2" (55 cm) PROVENANCE: Acquired from the collection of the widow of Guillermo Tolentino, Paz Reymundo. EXHIBITED Museo ng Malacañang, Tolentino: Iskultor ng mga Bayani (Organized by the Museo ng Malacañang Foundation in Celebration of the 'Decade of Nationalism, 1988 - 1998'), Manila, 28 September - October 1988 Metropolitan Museum of Manila, 1997 LITERATURE Tolentino: Iskultor ng mga Bayani. Published in conjunction with the exhibition of the same title at the Museo ng Malacañang. Manila: Museo ng Malacañang Foundation, 1988. Listed as "ANDRES BONIFACIO, Founder of the Katipunan" in the section "Exhibition Checklist." A Treasure From a Historian's Vault Ambeth Ocampo Reveals an Important Bonifacio Bust by LISA GUERRERO NAKPIL - A relentless author of 35 books and over 3,500 essays and an equally tireless newspaper columnist for the widely-read ‘Looking Back’, a globe-trotting, sought- after lecturer and the universally adored Hermenegildo B. Reyes Professor of History at the Ateneo de Manila University, public servant and patriot (as chair of the National Historical Commission and National Commission for Culture and the Arts, he never drew a salary), Ambeth R. Ocampo and his nine lives would never run out of accomplishments and accolades. There is one facet that is little-known : He is a serious collector of Philippine art and antiques with a taste for the delicious details that make each work completely special and that only he could hunt, find, savor— and of course, share with his thousands of readers and fans. León Gallery is privileged to present four of the important artworks from his collection, revealed for the first time to the public---two of them of extraordinary historical import. Professor Ocampo has written often about National Artist Guillermo E. Tolentino, the genius who created the towering Bonifacio monument in Caloocan, considered the most beautiful in the country. The secret of its power — the maestro once confided in a pre-war interview unearthed by Ambeth—comes from its remarkably lifelike expression and accuracy in detail. Tolentino, a spiritist, said he got details right from seances held in his home in Retiro street, as well as the bone structure of his surviving sister, Espiridiona. The second work is an equally delightful morsel of both historical and artistic importance : a relic of the legendary ‘Per Pacem et Libertatem’ masterpiece by Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo, that was obliterated in the dark days of the 1945 Battle for Manila. It depicts the battle-weary ‘Filipinas’ as she gazes beseechingly up at the unseen American goddess, Columbia. Celebrating Guillermo Tolentino, The First National Artist for Sculpture - If there's one Filipino artist who will be forever be remembered for his "heroic" contributions to Philippine art, Guillermo Tolentino is inarguably a surefire answer. And by heroic, one need not look further than his monumental accomplishment of being the most illustrious "creator" of Filipino heroes—a sculptor par excellence for his unsurpassed ability to capture the image and likeness of our forefathers. Andres Bonifacio is the centerpiece of Guillermo Tolentino's oeuvre, immortalized in his towering bronze piece de resistance Bonifacio Monument (colloquially known as "Monumento"), which was inaugurated in 1933 to honor the memory of the "Father of the Philippine Revolution" and the historic "Cry of Pugad Lawin" that ignited the flames of armed struggle against Madre España. Tolentino's depiction of Bonifacio was borne out of the sculptor's extensive research on the hero—including reading books and primary sources and interviewing the hero's surviving younger sister, Espiridiona Bonifacio, for "more personal and first-hand enlightenment." Tolentino himself also conducted seances to obtain a greater accuracy in details. The bust of Bonifacio at hand is one of a number of plaster casts from the original sculpture. For his classic work on the Bonifacio monument, Tolentino based the hero's likeness on the bone structure of Espiridiona and the only extant photograph of the revolutionary father dated 1896, in which he wears a coat and tie, instead of the wildly popularized white camisa de chino and screaming red kundiman pants. This iconography is clearly depicted in this plaster bust, so different from the unauthorized posthumous reproductions in cold-cast resin floating in the market today. Tolentino's interpretation of Bonifacio veered from the prevailing notion of the "Great Plebeian: that had been hyped by Ramon Martinez's life-size, reinforced concrete sculpture titled Monument to the Heroes of 1896 (Homenaje Del Pueblo Filipino a Los Heroes Del' 96) that depicts a katipunero donned in the camisa de chino and kundiman pants rolled up above the knees and armed with a bolo on his right hand. The eminent art critic Rodolfo Paras-Perez succinctly wrote about this deviation from the widespread yet faulty notions in his 1976 monograph on Tolentino. "The primacy of the idea or concept as the directing force is underlined in Tolentino's treatment of Bonifacio's clothing. Bonifacio wears a barong Tagalog. This, in itself, is not unusual. (The barong Tagalog was a common costume during Bonifacio's time). But what makes it stand out in Bonifacio is its fine detailing, as in the treatment of the embroidery. This is further carried in the holster of the gun and in the sheath of the bolo. Thus, Bonifacio is costumed not as the plebeian going to battle but, in a manner befitting a leader. Not as the reality of the situation demands but what the hierarchy of the concept dictates." Professor Ocampo acquired this work from Tolentino's widow, Paz Raymundo, in the 1980s. This bust was exhibited in late 1988 at the Museo ng Malacañang, in a show titled Tolentino: Iskultor ng mga Bayani, organized by the Museo ng Malacañang Foundation in a decade-long lead-up to the centennial celebrations of Philippine independence, then officially declared as the “Decade of Nationalism, 1988 - 1998.” It was also featured in a 1997 exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila. (Adrian Maranan)
Leon Gallery
Jan. 21, 2024
Guillermo Tolentino (1890 - 1976)
Est: ₱50,000 - ₱65,000
Bust of a Woman signed and dated brass with marble base sculpture: H: 19" (48 cm) W: 13" (33 cm) L: 10" (25 cm) marble base: H: 1 5/8" (2 cm) W: 11 3/8" (29 cm) L: 9" (23 cm)
Leon Gallery
Jan. 21, 2024
Guillermo Tolentino (1890 - 1976)
Est: ₱5,000 - ₱6,500
Imelda and Ferdinand Marcos signed Escayola artwork: D: 9" W: 1" (D: 23 cm H: 3 cm) frame: 20" x 20" (51 cm x 51 cm)
Leon Gallery
Oct. 21, 2023
Guillermo Tolentino (1890-1976)
Est: ₱40,000 - ₱52,000
Monument A Bonifacio signed (lower left) pen and ink on paper 24” x 13” (61 cm x 33 cm)
Leon Gallery
Sep. 09, 2023
Guillermo Tolentino (1890 - 1976) - Homage to Rizal and His 'Triumph of Science over Death'
Est: ₱500,000 - ₱650,000
Guillermo Tolentino (1890 - 1976) Homage to Rizal and His 'Triumph of Science over Death' signed and dated 1915 plaster Height : 23" (58 cm) GUILLERMO TOLENTINO: Patriot and Grand Old Man of Filipino Sculpture by LISA GUERRERO NAKPIL If Botong Francisco created a pantheon of heroic Filipinos, Guillermo Tolentino literally built the pantheon of monumental heroes. A patriot who felt each commission keenly — he would say that Andres Bonifacio and his Katipunan warriors would visit him in his dreams and guide his chisel — his sculptures evoke not only the immortality of these great men but stir the emotions they quicken. Tolentino’s first foray in heroworship was the popular engraving Grupo de Filipinos Ilustres which featured Jose Rizal front and center. His heart, however, was in sculpture; an inclination that started as a child when he formed clay figures of dogs and horses. The sculptor would make his way to New York where he secured a serendipitously arranged scholarship from the wealthy American Bernard Baruch. With funds scraped together in the United States, he then went on to book passage to Europe. Like Juan Luna, he determined to take up further studies in Rome and this he did for three more years. The Italian community in Manila eventually rallied around to support him. He would return to Manila and receive many commissions for work, including from the influential architect Juan Marcos Arellano. This tribute to Jose Rizal has a double meaning : on the first level, it references the National Hero’s own rendering of The Triumph of Science over Death. Also known as Scientia, this work has become synonymous to the power of reason In the original, a goddess-like figure holds aloft the light of knowledge, illuminating the world around her and vanquishing the death that comes with ignorance. She tramples a skull that sits helpless and hapless on top of a thick volume, a book with the title ‘Scientia.’ However, because Tolentino has depicted Jose Rizal within the composition, he also tells us that Rizal himself is an immortal. In this homage, Rizal is dressed for a European winter and also carries a second cape on his arm, perhaps referring to his academic. He carries the book of learning in one hand (which may have the double meaning of the novel Noli that sparked a revolution). Rizal appears to be in happy contemplation of the future as Lady Knowledge lights his way. Through his life and works, as well as through his death and example, Rizal has also thus become victorious over death and will live forever in the nation’s esteem.
Leon Gallery
Jun. 17, 2023
Guillermo Tolentino (1890 - 1976)
Est: ₱200,000 - ₱260,000
A Country Scene signed (lower right) ca. 1915 oil on canvas 19 1/2" x 25 1/4" (49 cm x 64 cm) PROVENANCE: A wedding gift from the artist to Benito and Amalia Natividad Tolentino and Hen. Natividad by MYE ATIENZA Acourageous military leader, eventually judge and then governor, Gen. Benito Alejandrino Natividad was born on January 12,1875 in Jaen, Nueva Ecija. Together with his brothers, he would take up arms and fight in the Philippine Revolution to avenge his father's death, a prominent lawyer and the first martyr of Nueva Ecija. He also fought in the PhilippineAmerican War and served as aide to Gen Antonio Luna who led the Central Luzon campaign. Natividad was almost killed fighting alongside Gen. Luna, suffering a serious gunshot wound in the leg. (The young Lieutenant Manuel Quezon was promoted to captain for getting him to safety by hiding Col. Natividad in a haystack.) For this valiancy under fire and just at the age of 24, Natividad was thus promoted to brigadier-general, becoming one of the youngest in the War. If he had been more physically fit, he would have been with Gen. Luna during that tragic trip to Cabanatuan. He would become a cripple due to his wounds, but this would not deter him. When Gen Manuel Tinio was recalled by Aguinaldo to help in the reorganization of the forces of Nueva Ecija in 1899, Natividad remained behind with just a few riflemen and a number of armed insurgents who oversaw the whole Ilocos region at the time which included the guarding of 4,000 Spanish prisoners and 25 captured Americans, scattered in various towns. Despite their overwhelming numbers, the prisoners did not even think of rising against the General because they were treated very well and they deemed "El Cojo” (“The Cripple”) not a man to trifle with. His other biographer, Antonio Figueroa, writes, “Gen. Natividad was a sort of legend, unfazed by the injuries he sustained. Juan Villamor, a colleague, described his courage as tenacious, despite ‘his helplessness [because] of his wounds, one of which compelled him to drag his right leg, making it exceedingly difficult for him to climb the mountains, preferring instead to take his luck with the Tinio Brigade in its guerrilla operations, rather than surrender himself to the enemy as others had done.’ Figueroa continues, “Gen. Natividad surrendered to the Americans on July 20, 1906 in Rizal, Cavite, along with revolutionary president Macario Sacay, war secretary and second vice-president Francisco Carreon; and third-lieutenant generals Julian Montalon, L.D. Villafuerte, and Lucio de Vega. When the war ended, he continued his law studies at San Juan de Letran and became a full-fledged lawyer. He would rise to become a judge. He was elected governor in Nueva Ecija in 1910-1913 and successively served as provincial fiscal in Zambales, Tarlac, Cavite, Rizal, Samar, Albay and Leyte. He was promoted as judge of the Court of First Instance in Leyte, Cebu and Davao. Gen. Natividad married late at the age of 40 to Amalia Inocencio, ten years his junior and a granddaughter of Maximo Inocencio, one of the first martyrs of Cavite, of Trece Martires fame. The work at hand, by Guillermo Tolentino, was a wedding gift to the happy couple. It is a work that we can assume is circa 1915, the year that Gen. Natividad would marry. That would also be the year that Tolentino would graduate from the University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts. It’s a vista of an ideal Philippines, the country that the General and wife fought so hard to re-imagine. A woman dressed in a red tapis dips her toe delicately into a clear stream. A humble thatch hut, banana tree, bamboo groves in the distance, all complete the picture of idyllic simplicity from a bygone era. Family lore has it that the couple first met during those days of revolution. Amalia would reminisce that she wold sometimes accompany her father to the secret meetings. (Figueroa has asserted that Gen. Natividad also served as member of the Supreme Council of the revolutionary government.) Amalia would say that during their courtship, she would never know if Benito would return alive. They would have two daughters, Aurea and Amparo, who would marry William Palou. The painting was handed down to Amparo who took care of her father till he passed away on December 1, 1964 and has remained with the family till today. (Lisa Guerrero Nakpil)
Leon Gallery
Oct. 23, 2022
Guillermo Tolentino (1890 - 1976) - Untitled
Est: ₱8,000 - ₱10,400
Guillermo Tolentino (1890 - 1976) Untitled signed and dated 1950 (bottom) bronze 6” x 4” x 5” (15 x 10 cm x 13 cm)
Leon Gallery
Jul. 30, 2022
Guillermo Tolentino (1890 - 1976)
Est: ₱10,000 - ₱13,000
Guillermo Tolentino (1890 - 1976) Centenary of Dr. Jose Rizal signed (lower right) plaster of paris D: 12” (30 cm) depth: 3/4” (2 cm)
Leon Gallery
Apr. 23, 2022
Guillermo Tolentino (1890 - 1976) - A Carlos P. Garcia Bust
Est: ₱35,000 - ₱45,500
Guillermo Tolentino (1890 - 1976) A Carlos P. Garcia Bust bronze 28 “ x 24” x 14” (71cm x 61 cm x 36 cm)
Leon Gallery
Oct. 15, 2021
Guillermo Tolentino (1890 - 1976) Querubin
Est: ₱20,000 - ₱26,000
Guillermo Tolentino (1890 - 1976) Querubin painted plaster 24” x 8 1/2” x 8 1/2” (61 cm x 22 cm x 22 cm)
Leon Gallery
Apr. 10, 2021
Guillermo E. Tolentino (1890 - 1976)
Est: ₱20,000 - ₱26,000
Guillermo E. Tolentino (1890 - 1976) Untitled signed (lower right) plaster of paris 8 3/4” x 5 1/2” x 4” (23 cm x 14 cm x 10 cm)
Leon Gallery
Apr. 10, 2021
Guillermo E. Tolentino (1890 - 1976)
Est: ₱20,000 - ₱26,000
Guillermo E. Tolentino (1890 - 1976) Ferdinand Marcos signed and dated 1974 (lower right) marble 11 1/2” x 6” x 7” (29 cm x 15 cm x 18 cm)
Leon Gallery
Mar. 20, 2021
"Grupo de Filipino Ilustres" by Guillermo Tolentino
Est: -
A late 20th century lithograph of the 1911 illustration "Grupo de Filipino Ilustres" by National Artist Guillermo Toilentino (1890 - 1976), a portrait featuring prominent Filipino revolutionaries, heroes, and politicians including Fr. Jose Burgos, Antonio Luna, Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Apolinario Mabini (seated), Clemente Jose Zulueta, Jose Ma. Basa, Pedro Paterno, Juan Luna, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Miguel Malvar, Antonio Ma. Regidor (standing). Dated 1998.
Casa de Memoria
Feb. 27, 2021
Guillermo Tolentino (1890 - 1976) - Future Champion
Est: ₱200,000 - ₱260,000
Guillermo Tolentino (1890 - 1976) Future Champion signed and dated 1954 (bottom) original plaster of paris figure 40 1/2” x 16” x 10” (103 cm x 41 cm x 25 cm) PROPERTY FROM THE EUGENIO M. LÓPEZ JR. COLLECTION WRITE UP: Standing proud and unyielding, Future Champion by National Artist Guillermo Tolentino is a masterful rendition of a child’s human form. But this piece is made even more poignant because the subject is the artist’s own son. With a steady gaze and the look of victory, his tiny arms, bent to show what little muscles he has, portends a momentous event is this boy’s future. More importantly, the single hand of the father holding the boy’s feet in one hand, tells the story of an ever-supportive parent, strong in physique and stronger in resolve. A champion to the son as well. Guillermo Tolentino’s struggle to master the human figure in the round during his school years abroad is the stuff of legend. In 1919, Tolentino enrolled at the Ecole de Beaux Arts for advanced courses in sculpture with a substantial scholarship grant from Bernard Baruch, a prominent American financier, stock investor, philanthropist, and statesman of the era. In his monumental book TOLENTINO, critic Rod ParasPerez wrote: “Tolentino now plunged into his studies with a gusto tantamount to physical hunger: figures in clay—of men and women—assumed forms with frenzied speed under his tireless, kneading fingers . . . Figures in clay and sheet after sheet of drawings sprang from his hands. [. . .] Indeed for every series of drawings done around a model, there was almost always a similar sculpture.” While studying, he worked as messenger and assistant to American sculptor Gutzon Borglum, earning $11 a week. In 1921, he finished his course at the Ecole de Beaux Arts with monetary, medal, and diploma awards. That same year, he left for Europe. Tolentino stayed in London for a week, visiting museums and art galleries. He went on to Paris and stayed there for another week. Then, he moved to Rome where he spent the next three and a half years. There he entered the Regge Instituto Superiore di Belle Arti di Roma.
Leon Gallery
Jul. 18, 2020
Guillermo E. Tolentino (1890 - 1976) - Bust of a Child
Est: ₱15,000 - ₱19,500
Guillermo E. Tolentino (1890 - 1976) Bust of a Child signed and dated 1951 (bottom) plaster 9” x 7” x 6” (23 cm x 18 cm x 15 cm) Estimate: USD $300-$390 Euros €250-€325
Leon Gallery
Jul. 18, 2020
Guillermo E. Tolentino (1890 - 1976) - Bust of a Lady
Est: ₱25,000 - ₱32,500
Guillermo E. Tolentino (1890 - 1976) Bust of a Lady signed and dated 1974 (right) plaster 18 1/2” x 19” x 13” (47 cm x 48 cm x 33 cm) Estimate: USD $500-$650 Euros €416.66-€541.66
Leon Gallery
Jul. 21, 2019
Guillermo Tolentino (1890-1976) Untitled Plaster H: 15” x L: 7” x W: 6”
Est: ₱2,000 - ₱2,600
Guillermo Tolentino (1890-1976) Untitled Plaster H: 15” x L: 7” x W: 6” (38 cm x 18 cm x 15 cm)
Leon Gallery
Jul. 21, 2019
Guillermo Tolentino (1890-1976) “Caston” Signed (bottom) 10 1/4” x 6 3/
Est: ₱5,000 - ₱6,500
Guillermo Tolentino (1890-1976) “Caston” Signed (bottom) 10 1/4” x 6 3/4” (26 cm x 17 cm
Leon Gallery
Jul. 20, 2019
Guillermo Tolentino Sculpture / a huge version of the Rizal Commemorative
Est: ₱10,000 - ₱13,000
Guillermo Tolentino Sculpture / a huge version of the Rizal Commemorative Coin
Leon Gallery
Mar. 09, 2019
GUILLERMO TOLENTINO (1890 - 1976) Untitled (Bust)
Est: ₱20,000 - ₱22,000
GUILLERMO TOLENTINO (1890 - 1976) Untitled (Bust) Undated Plaster 21 x 8 x 10 cm (8 1/4 x 3 1/5 x 4 in)
Salcedo Auctions
Oct. 20, 2018
Guillermo Tolentino
Est: ₱20,000 - ₱26,000
Guillermo Tolentino Sculpture of a Horse H: 19” x L: 21” x W: 6” (48 cm x 53 cm x 15 cm)
Leon Gallery
Oct. 19, 2018
Guillermo Tolentino
Est: ₱20,000 - ₱26,000
Inang Bayan signed H: 16 1/2” x L: 5 1/2” x W: 4 1/2” (42 cm x 39 cm x 11 cm)
Leon Gallery
Oct. 19, 2018
Guillermo Tolentino
Est: ₱20,000 - ₱26,000
Gabriela Silang signed and dated 1972 plaster H: 15” x L: 7” x W: 4 1/2” (38 cm x 18 cm x 11 cm)
Leon Gallery
Oct. 19, 2018
Guillermo Tolentino
Est: ₱30,000 - ₱39,000
Untitled (Bust of a Lady) signed H: 19 1/2” x L: 12” x W: 9” (50 cm x 30 cm x 23 cm)
Leon Gallery
Oct. 19, 2018
Guillermo Tolentino
Est: ₱30,000 - ₱39,000
Untitled (Bust of a Man) signed H: 21” x L: 21” x W: 13” (53 cm x 53 cm x 33 cm)
Leon Gallery
Oct. 19, 2018
Guillermo Tolentino
Est: ₱30,000 - ₱39,000
Untitled (Bust of a Gentleman) signed and dated 1953 H: 27 1/2” x L: 22” x W: 13” (70 cm x 56 cm x 33 cm)
Leon Gallery
Oct. 19, 2018
Guillermo Tolentino
Est: ₱30,000 - ₱39,000
Untitled (Bust of Caucasian Gentry) signed H: 14 1/2” x L: 9” x W: 6” (37 cm x 23 cm x 15 cm)
Leon Gallery
Oct. 19, 2018
Guillermo Tolentino
Est: ₱10,000 - ₱13,000
signed Sculpture H: 8” x L: 5” x W: 7” (20 cm x 13 cm x 18 cm)
Leon Gallery
Apr. 27, 2018
Guillermo Tolentino (1890 - 1976)
Est: ₱12,000 - ₱15,600
Guillermo Tolentino (1890 - 1976) Male Nude signed and dated 1919 (lower right) charcoal on paper 13” x 10” (33 cm x 25 cm)
Leon Gallery
Jul. 29, 2017
GUILLERMO TOLENTINO (1890 - 1976) Portrait of a Man
Est: ₱15,000 - ₱19,500
GUILLERMO TOLENTINO (1890 - 1976) Portrait of a Man signed and dated 1920 (lower right) Pencil on paper 1920
Leon Gallery
Jul. 30, 2016
Guillermo Tolentino (1890-1976)
Est: ₱8,000 - ₱10,400
Guillermo Tolentino (1890-1976) Untitled signed and dated 1940 (bottom) steel 10” x 5” (25 cm x 13 cm)
Leon Gallery
Dec. 05, 2015
Guillermo Tolentino (1890-1976)
Est: ₱200,000 - ₱260,000
Guillermo Tolentino (1890-1976) Future Champion signed and dated 1954 original plaster of paris figure H:40 1/2” x L:16” x W:10” (103 cm x 41 cm x 25 cm)
Leon Gallery
Dec. 05, 2015
Guillermo Tolentino (1890-1976)
Est: ₱120,000 - ₱156,000
Guillermo Tolentino (1890-1976) Gabriela Silang signed and dated 1972 cast bronze H:17 3/4” x L:6 1/4” x W:4 3/4” (45 cm x 16 cm x 12 cm)
Leon Gallery
Jun. 13, 2015
Guillermo Tolentino (1890-1976)
Est: ₱400,000 - ₱520,000
Untitled
Leon Gallery