Provenance: Private Collection, Muntinlupa City

ABOUT THE WORK

The scenes Vitalis painted in Europe reveal something of his nostalgic attitude towards the area. The view has a certain timelessness — no fishing boats on the water, no people in the streets — and the only indications of modern life are turned into compositional devices that lock the picture together. This accounts for the simplification of the scene. The composition is based on the succession of interlocking spurs, a series of arcs repeated in the shapes of the harbor, and more. Vitalis’ landscapes gradually evolved from the tapestry of mosaic style of compositions which reflected an emergent personal take on Cubism. Whereas other artists’ forms are complicated, Vitalis’ are simplified. Whereas other artists intensify detail, Vitalis eliminates it. Coping with the challenge of perspective, has worked by necessity in two dimensions, Vitalis has loosened the principles of perspective to capitalize on flat patterns. As a backgrounder, Vitalis bought a cottage in Brittany, which is the dream of many, a painter. Brittany is the favorite hideaway of artists in France. It is near the sea. The sky is beautiful, and the sunlight is very congenial to realist, impressionist or other painters who swear by nature. Juan Luna, by the way, also an Ilocano, went along with French painters to Brittany.