Fernando Amorsolo (1892 - 1972)
Sabungero
signed and dated 1914 (lower left)
oil on canvas
18" x 22" (46 cm x 56 cm)


Accompanied by a certificate issued by Mrs. SylviaAmorsolo-Lazo confirming the authenticity of this lot
PROVENANCE:Acquired directly from the artist, given as a gift toCol. Charles Jacques, on the staff of Gen. DouglasMacArthur, when the American military liberatedthe Philippine Islands from Japanese Occupation;and from thence by descent to the present owner.



by LISA GUERRERO NAKPIL No other artist has dominated Philippine painting, as strongly or as lengthily, as Fernando Amorsolo — in the same way that no other has attracted as much imitation, said the writer Lorenzo J. Cruz. Amorsolo was a master of the landscape, of the historical painting, as well as the portrait. He would also produce acute depictions of the evils of War, but also fetching nude studies as well as lyrical works that captured the characters he loved best in the Filipino countryside. Of these, the maestro would create figures, described by one of his biographers Alfredo R. Roces as “carefully worked out products of pencil and oil-color studies.” He continued, “The figures are thoughtfully arranged, ‘compositions’ being a major pre-occupation of artists of the period.” Roces theorized that “This explains why in many paintings certain figures recur. The figures are regarded as mere elements for use in a final painting : ingredients with which the artist found endless variations.” “At his best,” Roces continued, ‘the genre paintings sparkle with freshness.” This is one such example. In this, the earliest ‘Sabungero’ to be known in existence, Amorsolo has gracefully put together the proto-typical elements that would make this one of his most timeless themes : The cockfighter, cigarette in mouth — tobacco smoke was said to embolden the fighting fowl. His features are craggily outlined; he wears a head kerchief that suggests he is a wizened veteran of this art. Special feed and a dish of water are on the ground. Central to the painting is the valiant bird, cosseted and cared for by his owner. Even more astonishing is that Amorsolo created this scene in his early 20s, newly graduated from the University of the Philippines’ School of Fine Arts, as one of just five to complete the course at the academy. At the age of 16, he had already bested talented draughtsmen like Teodoro Buenaventura (who would later be his instructor), winning the first prize in a prestigious painting competition in 1908. The ‘sabong’ or cockfight was found by Magellan when he first arrived in these islands and it has a tradition that represents not just Philippine culture but also Filipino manhood. It is therefore a time-honored masculine pursuit played out at town fiestas and gaming events for all strata of society. This rare gem was no doubt a signal of bravery, since it was given as an appreciation to Col. Charles Jacques upon his arrival in Manila in the company of the beloved Gen. Douglas MacArthur to liberate the Philippines from the Japanese.