PROPERTY FROM THE LEOPOLDO L. CORONEL JR. COLLECTION

ABOUT THE WORK

While Vicente Manansala is best known for his transparent cubism paintings, it is worth noting that he also explored realism earlier in his career, with his subjects focusing on landscapes and genre scenes. This 1955 watercolor painting yet again demonstrates Manansala’s versatility and adaptability across styles and mediums. This piece titled Trees features a forest-like topography amid Autumn, probably a scene he commonly observes in his overseas sojourns. Exhibiting his unrivaled proficiency, the artist expertly painted this piece using the wet-on-wet technique, dabbing the watercolor from a wet brush onto the damp surface of the paper. The colors seemingly blend with each other but still with distinguishable tree figures, creating an image of a soft and misty autumn forest against a clear blue sky. A significant figure in Philippine art history, Manansala’s ability to impress the local and international art scenes with his diverse masterpieces is a testament to his enduring artistic legacy. Shortly after his death in 1981, Vicente Manansala was named a National Artist for Painting. (Jessica Magno)