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Jose Rizal’s rare and personal letters up for auction at Leon Gallery
Here's a rare chance to see the person, the more intimate side of our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, that's never quite revealed by his often-read works.
The Leon Gallery in Makati will put up for display and auction four personal letters written to his older sister Maria.
Rare collector’s items, the letters were written by Rizal from 1891 while he was in Hong Kong, to 1896 while in exile in Dapitan.
These archival pieces of historical correspondence have been in the keeping of the heirs of Maria Rizal Cruz all these years.
According to Leon Gallery owner and curator Jaime Ponce de Leon, the family feels that "these letters should be passed on to a new generation".
At a press conference held at the gallery on Friday, Intramuros Administrator, historian, writer and curator Ms. Bambi Harper called this auction “ a chance for a collector to own a part of a national hero”.
The tone of the letters reveals a tender side of Rizal; he addresses his sister as pinakamamahal kong kapatid (my most beloved sibling), gives her brotherly advice to suffer the hardships of her marriage to Daniel Cruz, an inveterate cockfighting gambler. Rizal tells her not to pack her bags and leave, but to stay because “heaven is such a best place to be in”.
Cultural researcher and writer Martin (Sonny) Tinio disclosed that it was actually not Trining, another sister, who was closest to Rizal as many believed. It was Maria, probably because she was sixth in the family line and Rizal was seventh.
Maria Rizal, like all her other sisters was quite strong-willed, so despite her brother’s advice about her marriage, at one point she threatened to leave with her children if her husband insisted on going to another cockfight. Daniel Cruz returned to an empty house, and was forced to find a job as a cook for town fiestas.
In another letter, one can read how Rizal takes pride in his profession as a physician. Thus he says to “please tell Mamang Pedro that if he doubts my expertise he can go and look for another doctor”. He is also offended when he realizes that some patients only see him because they think he needs the money.
He asks Maria to please send him staples like rice, salt, honey, soap (2 arrobas de jabon, an enormous amount, according to Mr. Tinio) and other needs (geography books for his students) to be sent to him while detained in Dapitan.
This letter shows the hardships experienced by Rizal as the items which were sent from Manila would get stolen. Sometimes his meals would consist of rice flavored only with salt.
The fourth letter tells of the arrival in Dapitan of Maria’s son Morris, who also became Rizal’s student, with Rizal’s wife Josephine Bracken.
All four letters are in pristine condition, encased in black plastic folders. The starting bid for the Rizal letters is one million pesos each.
Another rare piece being offered for auction is an 1891 oil portrait by Felix Resurrection Hidalgo of one of Rizal’s greatest loves, the British Nellie Bousted.
As related by cultural writer and historian Augusto (Toto) Gonzalez, the reason Rizal was so enamored by Nellie Bousted was that she emulated what he thought the ideal Filipina should be: not the weak-willed Maria Clara of the Noli, but an educated, confident, athletic woman from a good family.
The letters and the portrait will be exhibited from November 25 to December 1. They will be put up for auction on Saturday, December 2nd at 2 p.m. at the Leon Gallery, Eurovilla 1, Rufino corner Legazpi Sreets, Legazpi Village, Makati City. — LA, GMA News
For information call +632 8562781 or email info@leon-gallery.com. Catalog access at www.leon-gallery.com.
