León Gallery wishes to thank Mr. Marcel Antonio for confirming the authenticity of this lot

ABOUT THE WORK

Hailing from a farmer’s family in Bulacan, the art of Angelito Antonio is mostly drawn from day-to-day life and the rich culture of the province. “Mang Lito” is a name he is often called. Angelito and his family share the same love for art: his wife, Norma Belleza, is a notable artist, and his children are also painters. He is a genre artist acclaimed for his bold diagonal lines, unique approach to figurative distortion, and use of black combined with strong primary or muted tertiary colors. In the early days of his artistic career, his Neorealism stood out from the rest as he delineated his shapes with linear clarity, then blurring the adjacent areas into washed-out tones. In his recent canvases, afterwhile, colors are more intense and opaque. Angelito’s works are often noted as inspired by the likes of Pablo Picasso. However, his folk themes and figures show the influence of Vicente Manansala, his teacher at the University of Santo Tomas. His subjects have been primarily folk genres such as cockfighters, balloon sellers, and vendors. For the lot at hand, Angelito portrays in this oil painting a man who is singing and playing the guitar. Indeed, his oeuvres are his way of celebrating the different cultural aspects of the Philippines. (P.I.R.)