Provenance: Provenance: Private Collection, France

ABOUT THE WORK

Oscar Zalameda captured not only the essence of his subjects but the spirit of the times. In this work, Zalameda uses his signature abstractionist technique to create a figurative depiction of his subject matter. This is a clear departure from the canons of Filipino portraiture whose foundations can be found in the works of Luna, Hidalgo, and Amorsolo. The background of his subject takes on an unorthodox characteristic, smoldering with an otherworldly radiance that balances out the predominantly dark hues of his subject. What the viewer sees is not so much the material presence of the sitter but his phosphorescent quality, evoked by fast and rapid strokes in the tradition of the Impressionists. Zalameda has preserved a moment of magic for posterity