The Letras Y Figuras is an indigenous Filipino artform dating from the 19th century wherein figures – humans, plants, animals and the like – are painted to form and spell-out letters of the alphabet. In the catalog accompanying the first National Juan Luna and Felix Resurreccion Hildago Commemorative Exhibition, this exceptional Letras Y Figuras piece has been described as thus: "A multifigured scene spelling out the name M-A-R-I-A G-I-L is arranged in a band arched over the other words and figures. On top is inscribed “ Recuerdo”. The scene is mainly monochromatic brown. Only the letters forming the name are depicted vividly in green, red and blue."
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School of Jose Honorato Lozano
Letras y Figuras
19th century
watercolor on paper
10" x 14" (25 cm x 36 cm)
PHP 400,000
PROPERTY FROM THE DR. ALEJANDRO R. ROCES COLLECTION
Provenance: León Gallery, The Kingly Treasures Auction, Makati City, 7 December 2013, Lot 179
Exhibited: Manila, Metropolitan Museum, Novecento Filipino, June 15, 1988
Literature: First National Juan Luna and Felix Resureccion Hidalgo Commemorative Exhibition, Metropolitan Museum of Manila, 1988, p. 191