Provenance:
León Gallery, The Kingly Treasures Auction 2015,
Makati City, 5 December 2015, Lot 118

ABOUT THE WORK

Angelito Antonio is one of the initial forces behind the burgeoning of Cubism in Philippine art, finely depicting local themes in their vibrancy and linear clarity. His works have been influenced by Vicente Manansala, his composition professor at the University of Santo Tomas. Antonio's use of nascent cubism has earned praise for its aggressive style compared to his mentor's vigilant eye towards classical anatomy. His adherence to Modernism's core tenet of dynamic expression has made him one of the pillars of Philippine modern art. Antonio's unique approach towards figurative distortion resulted in a complementary contrast between figuration and abstraction. Antonio employs his distinctive angular color delineation that veered away from his mentor's transparent cubism to execute the harmonious dichotomy between the two styles. There is a distinguishing dynamism in the jarring hues that brings out the strength of this work. It is applied with such meticulousness and preciseness, capturing the subtle variations in the subject's emotions.