Provenance: Private Collection, Manila

ABOUT THE WORK

          Since the early 1950s, Federico Aguilar Alcuaz had a preference for landscapes. Most of his early landscapes on the Philippine countryside are part of the artist’s private collection.
          While it may look like any other Philippine landscape, it deserves to be given a long slow “hello again” look.  Because while Alcuaz’ Philippine landscapes could be called quasi-impressionist in the Amorsolo tradition, the Iberian  spirit of place was to overshadow his art after he set foot in Spain in 1955.  Picasso and the European expressionists were to exert their presence in Alcuaz’ abstract landscapes.  Thus, this facet of Alcuaz believes in maintaining a degree of fidelity to the natural features of a locale.
          Thus, Alcuaz made a return engagement to his 1950s Philippine landscapes with this work from 1976.  Even as late as the mid-seventies, time and space could be stretched long and far.