‘Tinikling Dance’ from 1947
Salcedo Auctions’ The Well-Appointed Life sale last Saturday, 12 September, set record bids reaffirming the increasing value of important Philippine art and the auction house’s market command.
The most spirited bidding was around the works of National Artist Fernando Amorsolo, with collectors once again upholding his stature as one of the Philippines’ most sought-after masters. These were his idyllic visions of rural life, Planting Rice (1945) and Under the Mango Tree (1937).
But the excitement surrounding the master’s work heightened when two paintings, also from his celebrated Golden Period, came to the auction block. The Fruit Vendor (1939) achieved ₱23,360,000, setting a new world record for the artist’s works—based on size. Tinikling Dance (1947) drew even higher, ₱38,544,000—more than four times its pre-sale estimate.
Fernando Amorsolo’s’ ‘Planting Rice’ (left) from 1945 and his 1937 work’ Under the Mango Tree’ both sold well above their estimates, affirming the artist’s position at the pinnacle of Philippine art.
National Artists led the sale, such as H.R. Ocampo’s ‘Fifty-Three D’ from 1953 and Legaspi’s untitled oil on canvas work from 1946.
Three National Artists raised the bids for Modernists. Cesar Legaspi’s untitled oil on canvas from 1946, completed during the formative period when he helped establish the distinctive language of Philippine Neo-Realism, proved a major draw. An important work from this pivotal period, it fetched ₱11,680,000, setting a new world record for the artist based on size. H.R. Ocampo’s Fifty-Three D also set a poignant achievement with its sale, with the proceeds helping fund the revival of National Artist for Dance Leonor Orosa Goquinco’s pioneering dance company, Filipinescas.
BenCab’s 2005 untitled acrylic on canvas work from his ‘Larawan’ Series
Another significant work that drew robust bidding was BenCab’s untitled acrylic on canvas from his acclaimed Larawan Series. Completed in 2005, the portrait of a fish vendor reflects the ordinary Filipino’s dignity and strong presence that distinguish the artist’s finest figurative works.
This auction had many highlights, but two rare paintings by José Taviel de Andrade was the object of one of the sale’s most unexpected biddings. A Spanish soldier and artist in the 19th century, Andrade once served as José Rizal’s personal escort. The extremely rare works from 1896—oil-on-board depictions of a bridge and a Spanish fort in Marawi—capture a precise and consequential moment in Philippine history.
The two paintings by Jose Taviel de Andrade set a new world benchmark for the artist.
Their backstory adds another layer of historical significance. The paintings once belonged to Don Ramón Blanco y Erenas, Marquis of Peña Plata, who served as Governor-General of the Philippines from 1893 to 1896, before eventually landing in a private collection in Madrid. Their rarity and distinct provenance clearly resonated with collectors and set a new world benchmark for the artist.
Elmer Borlongan’s ‘Ships Ahoy!’ from 2013
The first edition of Jose Rizal’s ‘Noli Me Tangere,’ accompanied by a polemic pamphlet
Other notable results included Elmer Borlongan’s Ships Ahoy! from 2013, underscoring the strength and continued momentum of the contemporary Philippine art market. A first edition of José Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere, accompanied by a polemic pamphlet, also commanded an impressive ₱2,803,200, demonstrating the enduring collector appeal of objects that embody the country’s cultural and intellectual heritage.
This year’s The Well-Appointed Life reveals how Philippine art and historical objects continue to command serious attention, with historic works finding renewed relevance. This auction also shows that collectors are placing ever greater value on objects that speak to who we are and where we come from. With records broken across generations and categories, the sale cements Salcedo Auctions’ role in shaping the Philippine art market—and the enduring value of the works entrusted to it.
The full auction results will be available for registered clients at salcedoauctions.com. Consignments are being accepted for Salcedo’s year-end marquee sale, ‘Under the Tree: The Wish List.’ For inquiries, send us a direct message, email info@salcedoauctions.com, or phone/SMS +63 917-1075581.
