Accompanied by a certificate issued by Galerie Artes confirming the authenticity of this lot

ABOUT THE WORK

One of the most notable Filipina modernist painters, Lydia Velasco depicts strong and impressive women in her body of works. Her signature female figures dominating the canvases show various personalities and moods, characterized by sensuousness, strength, and an almost-masculine assertiveness. Velasco asserts women identity and freedom through the elongated and massively rendered subjects which also show the artist’s view of the inherent qualities of women. National Artists H.R. Ocampo and Cesar Legaspi, her former bosses in her previous work, are among the prominent figures in the art scene who influenced her painterly techniques. Figurative expressionists Danilo Dalena and Onib Olmedo also influenced her style. “I want to project women with inner strength, not only physically but emotionally and psychologically as well,” Velasco said. The sensuous women in her back-to-back piece, Bold with Passion, shows this particular goal of the Filipina artist. Her women subjects in striking gestures and poses have muscular body structures, long limbs, and distinct torsos—main features usually found in her works. She also utilized yellow, green, and red tones, adding to its overall captivating appeal.