Fernando Amorsolo y Ceuto(Philippino, 1892-1972)A young girl collecting water 50.8 x 35.5 cm. (20 x 14 in.)
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Find your local specialistFernando Amorsolo y Ceuto (Philippino, 1892-1972)
signed 'F Amorsolo', inscribed 'Manila' and dated '1937'
oil on canvas laid to board
50.8 x 35.5 cm. (20 x 14 in.)
Footnotes
PROVENANCE:
David Cassels Brown, acquired direct from the artist in 1937.
Bequethed to the current owner, nephew to Cassels Brown.
Born in Paco, Manila, Fernando Amorsolo was blessed with a precocious talent and at the age of seventeen had enrolled at the School of Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines. On graduation he received commendations as tokens of excellence.
From 1938 to 1952, he was director of the School of Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines and his distinctions include the gold medal of recognition awarded by UNESCO, the Rizal Pro-Patria award (1961) and the Araw ng Maynila award (1963). In 1973, Amorsolo was posthumously proclaimed 'National Artist in Painting'.
Amorsolo's backlighting technique became his trademark where figures, often appearing amongst a cluster of leaves, are seen aglow on the canvas. The art critic Nick Joaquin described Amorsolo's work as having
"defined and perpetuated a distinct element of the nation's artistic and cultural heritage".
David Cassels Brown (1907-1998) joined the international trading firm of Smith Bell & Co. in Manila in 1927. He progressed to be the senior Legaspi branch manager and also held the post of British Vice-Consul. He then returned to work with Smith Bell acheiving the position of Vice-President. In 1959 he returned to England as non-executive Chairman of the UK office.
Cassels Brown was an early admirer of Amorsolo's work and visited the artist frequently, he purchased many works by the artist which decorated the walls of his home and office. One of his last acts as Chairman of Smith Bell was to give many of these paintings to his Philippino directors, though he did retain a number for his own private collection.