Provenance: Leon Gallery, The Magnificent September Auction 2019, Makati City,
14 September 2019, Lot 160.

ABOUT THE WORK

The Dean of Philippine Cartoonist, Irineo Miranda’s 1947 The March of Progress echoes the iconic style of the cartoons as he depicts the slow rebuilding of the Philippines following the Second World War. With the main focal point of the piece a couple cradling their child between them, Miranda covers the canvas with vignettes of scenes depicting the titular march to progress. The man stares forward forlorn as around him, Miranda shows a man tirelessly sowing the field, a fisherman hauling in their harvest, a lumberjack chopping down a tree. The 1940s showed drastic changes in the Philippines. The country became embroiled in the war, became liberated, and started its journey as a newly independent state all within the same decade. With these events, the Philippines are understandably on shaky foundations and Miranda adeptly translates it onto the canvas. His lesserknown role as a scenographer reared its head as Miranda’s composition of the piece aids the viewers in looking at the work itself. The eye is drawn from one scene to another before circling back to the focal couple. A masterful piece that superbly employs light and shadow to heighten the drama, Miranda’s The March to Progress tells the story of the Philippines in the 1940s, pinning its hopes and worries onto the majestic work. (Hannah Valiente)