ABOUT THE WORK

A year after his death, the National Commission on Culture and the Arts published a tribute to Benito J. Legarda Jr. He was memorialized for his “passion for history that engaged and benefited present and future scholars. His is a legacy that all of us should cherish and be grateful for.” It is truly unfortunate that the acquisition records for his collection of santos and ecclesiastical altar furnishings has been lost. Thus, the origin of many of the masterpieces handled by Leon Gallery remains a matter of conjecture. Though the treasures have been dispersed, what does remain is the image of a scholar and aesthete with an abiding love for Philippine ecclesiastical art. This current selection shows how the scope of the man’s taste. An important fragmentary image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, a whole and integral Ivory San Antonio and a pair of Solomonic Columns are among the treasures offered in this auction. A very fine depiction of Anthony of Padua, the beloved friar of the Franciscan order, renowned through his native Lisbon for his wisdom, fervor and compassion for the marginalized. He is known as the patron saint to whom one prays for the recovery of lost things. Adding to St. Anthony’s popularity is the irresistible charm of his iconography, which depicts him in direct association with the Christ child. In some depictions, the child appears, standing on a pillar, to the kneeling saint. In others, especially the images from Bicol and Laguna, the child is cradled in his arms. The most popular depiction, as seen in this piece, has the saint holding a bible on which the Christ child stands or sits. But beyond the charm is a very real message of Franciscan humility and acceptance. The historical Anthony joined the order of St. Francis while the founder was still alive and would have been taught, firsthand by Francis himself, the values of self-giving and that special appreciation of the “littleness” of God. As one Steve Rodriguez wrote in the Christian Herald, “To see St. Anthony holding the Infant Jesus in his arms, therefore is to see a true follower of St. Francis. For did not Francis also embrace that same image of God’s vulnerability and humble love? Through his scripture-based teaching, the real, historical Anthony was holding and communicating to the world, the incarnate word of God.” This fine ivory depiction shows the Christ child seated on a bible (a clear allusion to the very Word made Flesh). The child’s whole body is turned towards the saint. The ivory is in pristine condition, and in keeping with 18th -19th century traditions, has been embellished with gold leaf. While no collection notes exist, it seems the work of a Manila or Quiapo atelier of the mid to late 19th century. This piece is among the few ivory santos collected by the late Benito Legarda. It is undoubtedly, also the most complete and integral of this type in the collection.