Works by the masters on exhibit, for sale at Intramuros gallery

The National Museum is not the only establishment to feature great works of art. In fact, a few hundred meters away from the museum is Galeria de las Islas at the Silahis Center inside Intramuros.

The gallery is currently featuring classical pieces from Isabelo L. Tampinco, Graciano Nepomuceno, Anastacio Caedo, Guillermo E. Tolentino and Francesco Riccardo Monti. The Magnificent Masters Collection, as it is called, runs until December 5 and allows the public to view, appreciate and even purchase curated artworks.

Some works of art like Tampinco’s intricately carved yakal wood piece Crucifixion (1878, P985,000) and Holy Trinity and Holy Family have never been shown to the public until now. As the preeminent sculptor in the early 1900’s, Tampinco was known for his wood cavings: inside the Church of San Ignacio (Intramuros), Manila Cathedral’s famous facade, the main altar of Laoag Cathedral, and wood carvings in San Agustin Church.

Two of my instant favorites are BenCab's painting Nude Sabel (P400,000) and the cast marble (P150,000) and plaster cast (P185,000) busts of Jose Rizal by Anastacio Caedo. The cast marble piece won 3rd place in the 1966 competition of the Rizal centennial and is now being used by the different Philippine embassies to honor our national hero.

Other notable pieces from the collection include Monti’s cast marble Pieta (P450,000), Tampinco’s cast marble Capital (P200,000), Caedo's San Miguel the Archangel (P165,000) and Tolentino's cold cast marble scaled sculptures of Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez (P60,000) and Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

These works of art do not come cheap, and owning a piece of Philippine history is something only a few Filipinos can dream of. But by visiting galleries and museums, we can at least appreciate the rich and world-class artworks of our Filipino artists. — BM, GMA News

Galeria de las Islas (527-2113) in Silahis Center, 744 Gen. Luna St., Intramuros, Manila is open daily, including Sundays and holidays, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.