Provenance: Acquired directly from the artist by Lydia Durano

ABOUT THE WORK

The renowned painter rendered the theme with an atmospheric perspective. Crucifixion is painted in Manansala’s indigenized interpretation of cubism. Unlike his other versions of the crucifix, Manansala creates a more severe geometric faceting and simplification of forms with an expressionistic depiction of the arms upwards. In the book Discovering Manansala, author Isabel A. Nazareno writes: “Manansala never considered himself particularly devout, though he generated an abundance of works focusing on religious themes. His innate sense of piety was expressed in his most depicted subject, the Crucifixion of Christ. Moved by some unknown force, he produced at least one such image, each year, during Holy Week. Notable pieces include the Via Crucis (1956) series of murals, made for the UP Chapel of the Holy Sacrifice, consisting of 16 panels in all, the last being the Ascension.”