PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF A VERY DISTINGUISHED HISTORIAN

Provenance:
Acquired as a gift from Arturo Luz

ABOUT THE WORK

In 1952, Lee Aguinaldo returned to the Philippines after a threeyear study period in the United States. Resolute on his quest to further hone his artistic flair, Aguinaldo crossed paths with Fernando Zóbel, who had also just returned from the U.S. the preceding year. Aguinaldo's and Zóbel's paths were seemingly carved from the same stone; both studied in the U.S. at around the same time and were expected to take on their respective family businesses. However, Zóbel's interest in literature and the visual arts became the catalyst that drew Aguinaldo closer 9to the former, forging an enduring friendship entwined by a shared devotion to the arts. It is in this context that Zóbel became a major influence in many of Aguinaldo's early works. This is most evident in this 1952 watercolor work, which is evocative of Zóbel's Pink House created during the same year. In this piece, Aguinaldo shows exceptional skill in manipulating watercolor as a medium. The uninhibited application of brushstrokes indicates his confidence in his creative finesse and his apprehension of harnessing spontaneity to produce a harmonious flow of colors. He renders the retablo in warm, striking, and flat colors akin to illustrations in children's books where vibrancy and dynamism proliferates. A sublime aura radiates from the composition, transcending beyond the sacredness attributed to the retablo. Arturo Luz may have acquired this work from Aguinaldo around the same time frame. Coincidentally, Aguinaldo, Zóbel, and Luz were cited by Rod. Paras Perez as a prominent triumvirate within Zóbel's clique. Combining Zóbel's influence on this work and Luz's subsequent acquisition, this piece comes to a full circle, as it symbolizes the camaraderie cultivated by the three artists.