Provenance: Provenance: Private Collection, HongKong

ABOUT THE WORK

National Artist Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera was noted to be fascinated with the 19th century Belgian artist Félicien Rops and his explicit erotic works. But what makes BenCab’s erotic works from Rops is his focus on exploring the aspect of sexuality—and the various sexual stages of varying degrees, from flirting and seduction to kissing and voyeuristic acts—of the Filipino subject. There is also a greater emphasis on the technicalities in the art of drawing and the rendition of the figure, all the more incorporating his distinct artistic touches. In this evocative piece, The Letter, a nude woman brushes her hair while sitting down with a paper on hand. Here, BenCab renders her voluptuous, realistic form without over-idealizing her figure. Through his intriguing way of depicting the flesh, the master artist reimagines both the main subject and the lovers in such a way sensuousness and sexual tension are elegantly and subtly hinted. The signature grids, lines, and alluring colors such as muted blue and red add to the overall experience of encountering the piece likened to a cinematic composition.