Provenance: Private Collection, Madrid

ABOUT THE WORK

Throughout his career Amorsolo was committed to two fundamental ideas in his art: first, the classical notion of idealism, in which artistic truth was found through balance, harmony, and beauty, and second, the usage of the conservative concept of Filipino national character as rooted in rural communities and the cycles of village life. A perfect example of the intermarriage of these two is the painting titled Rice Planters. The painting features farmers set on a rice field, regardless of their gender, they are all together working under a bright sunny day. Due to the usage of nature and pastel colors the painting gives off a light visual weight, an irony to the heavy toil and labor that rice planting entails. Using his trademark backlighting technique, he outlined the figures against a characteristic glow, and intense light on one part of the canvas to highlight nearby details. Sunlight is a consistent element in Amorsolo’s works. Brushstrokes were smooth which emphasizes the serene feel intended by the artist.