Andres Bonifacio's explosive letters, Joya's most exhibited works to be auctioned at Leon Gallery

A rare chance to view and get hold of the missing pieces of the country’s history along with 150 timeless works of great Filipino artists highlights the one-day auction of Leon Gallery in Makati on Saturday. 

The explosive letters of Supremo Andres Bonifacio written weeks before his murder, along with most important art pieces of abstract artist Jose T. Joya, Fernando Zobel,Vicente Manansala and Fernando Amorsolo will be featured in a one day auction at Leon Gallery in Makati this Saturday, March 3 at 2pm.

History could have been altered had Katipunan’s brain Emilio Jacinto received one of the four letters of Bonifacio narrating the massive cheating in the Philippines’ first election, known as the Tejeros Convention held on March 22, 1897.

READ: Finally on display, Bonifacio's letters exposing betrayal at Tejeros Convention

“These are extremely rare and important handwritten letters of late Supreme Andres Bonifacio to Emilio Jacinto because there are only seven known to exist documents done by Andres Bonifacio,” says Jaime Ponce De Leon, proprietor of Leon Gallery.

He said the letters are part of the collection of Epifanio Delos Santos. The collector agreed to auction the rare historical pieces given the favourable moves from artists’ groups and leaders to recognize Bonifacio as the first Philippine president and not Emilio Aguinaldo.

 The Philippine Historian Association recently passed a resolution to make late Supremo Andres Bonifacio the first president of the Philippines instead of Emilio Aguinaldo, that is widely written in history books.

The public auction is the third to be held in partnership with Rockefeller led Asian Cultural Council (ACC). Proceeds of the auction seek to fund advance education of deserving students of arts.

“The auction is very remarkable. We are selling the most important and the most exhibited works of Jose. T. Joya, no one will dispute that,” said De Leon.

Joya’s oil on canvas “Space Transfiguration”, done in 1959, is the highlight of the auction. The masterpiece was inspired by NASA’s first venture into the outer space on the same year.

 Leon Gallery auction also includes Joya’s oil on wood “ Munting Gubat” done in 1970 as well as his acrylic collage “ Zen Imagery” done in 1981.

“ The presence of Joya  could rank this sale  as the most important  auction we have ever done,” said De Leon.

Incredible pieces like Anita Magsaysay-Ho’s “Tahip” done in 1960 makes the auction a collectors’ event.

Fernando Zobel’s 1960 oil on canvas “ Verevia II” was first exhibited in 1961. It used to belong to an American collection “and now it found its way back to the Philippines to be including in the auction.”

The Philippine art market is a very discriminating, says De Leon. He said  social media has helped artists became known and popular to all generations.

“So you will see in this auction, particular pieces go for their significant sums because of their quality, because of their rarity and the market knows what they are buying,” he said.

Fernando Amorsolo’s 1927 oil on wood “ Fishpond in Malabon” is one of the excellent art works being auctioned off at the Leon Gallery.

At the same time, Vicente Manansala’s  oil on canvas “ Tres  Marias”  dated 1972 is also part of the masterpieces to be auctioned off.

Impressive collection of furniture by the Gabaldon family is one of the centerpieces at the auction.

The Gabaldon pieces are of Ah-tay Tinio Mariposa – the mother of the Gabaldon. Ah-tay is known as the greatest furniture maker at the turn of the century.

Furniture masterpieces for Maximo Viola are also to be auctioned.  Maximo Viola was the man who financed Noli Me Tangere of Dr. Jose Rizal. Isabelo Tampinco is the Juan luna of sculpture, at the beginning of 20th century

De Leon also takes pride to include the ‘extremely rare’  Hispano-Philippine 17th century Ivory crucifix that are usually made for the Galleon trade.  

The Philippines has produced the greatest artists, known in the world such as Juan Luna’s Spolarium and many timeless pieces.

The Leon Gallery and ACC public auction of art and history masterpieces is aimed to produce new breed of Filipino artists who will nurture the soul of arts and culture of the country. — LA, GMA News