Vicente Manansala’s ‘Tiangge’ portrays a stylistic maturity that mingles Cubist influence with the translucent quality of a watercolorist.
A rare painting by the late National Artist for Visual Art, Vicente Manansala, will go on auction in Hong Kong this December.
World’s leading art business, Christie’s, announced the auction of Manasala’s ‘Tiangge’ (Market scene), on December 2 to 3, 2020 in Hong Kong along with other works of renowned artists worldwide. This is part of the November 27 to December 5 “Season of Masterpieces” Autumn Auction of Christie’s Hong Kong which dubbed the event as “a full week of sales, lectures, previews, and exhibitions” for collectors and art lovers. It will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The key categories on auction include: Modern and Contemporary Art, Chinese Classical and Modern Paintings, Chinese Ceramics and Works of Arts, as well as a full array of luxury items across- Magnificent Jewels, Important Watches, Fine and Rare Wine and Handbags and Accessories.
‘Tiangge’ is priced at US$390,000 – 640,000 or Php18,915,000 to Php31,043,200 (1USD – Php48.49 exchange rate Oct. 1, 2020).
The oil on canvas painting, made a year before Manansala’s death, portrays a stylistic maturity that mingles Cubist influence with the translucent quality of a watercolorist. It is measures 49 x 77 in. (124 x 195 cm.). It is has belonged to a private collector for the past 15 years.
Manansala was a well-known cubist painter and illustrator. One of his famous works is the Stations of the Cross murals of the University of the Philippines – Diliman’s Parish of the Holy Sacrifice in Quezon City.
Christie’s will hold a series of previews of the paintings dubbed “Asia Previews” in different cities across Asia. The first leg starts on October 3 to 7 at Hong Kong. Then it moved to Beijing on October 20 to 21, Shanghai from October 24 to 25 and finally in Taipei from November 7 to 8.
The British auction house set a world record in 2017, when it sold Leonardo’s ‘Salvator Mundi’ for US$450.3 million at Christie’s New York.
Rommel F. Lopez