Leon Gallery will highlight the abstract, non-figurative works of the new wave of “auction stars” in Magnificent September Auction on Sept. 13, 2025, 2 p.m., Eurovilla 1, Legazpi Village, Makati.
These will bolster the diverse collection of artworks and ephemera, reflective of the country’s rich history and cultural heritage, which Leon Gallery has presented for more than a decade, running the gamut from the old masters’ paintings to modernist works, important documents to artifacts.
Zobel sketching at Prado Museum
On center stage is Fernando Zóbel’s La Vista X, one of his most exhibited works, and fresh from its presentation in the landmark retrospective of the artist’s works at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, titled Zóbel. The Future of the Past. This piece belongs to his La Vista series, which portrays the artist’s view of his beloved Cuenca landscape as he saw it from one of the windows of his apartment-cum-studio in the historic city.
Fernando Zóbel (1924 -1984), Segunda Conversación con RVR (Rembrandt Van Rijn), signed and dated 1965, oil on canvas, 39 1/2” x 39 1/2” (100 cm x 100 cm)
Rembrandt’s ‘Judith at the Banquet of Holofernes,’ side by side with Zobel’s sketch of the painting at the Prado Museum and his final work, ‘Segunda Conversación con RVR’
Fernando Zóbel (1924 -1984), Untitled, signed and dated Feb 1967 (verso), oil on canvas, 20” x 24” (51 cm x 61 cm)
Fernando Zóbel (1924-1984), ‘Composición,’ signed and dated 1959, gouache and ink on paper, 26 1/2” x 38” (68 cm x 97 cm)
Zóbel’s sublime artistry and mastery of form are also demonstrated in his other works in this sale: Segunda Conversación con RVR (Rembrandt Van Rijn) (1965), from his Dialogos series that sees him in “conversation” with the revered Dutch maestro Rembrandt, whose masterpiece Judith at the Banquet of Holofernes he saw and sketched at the Prado Museum; an untitled piece from 1967; and his 1959 Composición, which is considered the most important drawing by Zóbel that we know of.
Bernardo Pacquing © Silverlens
Bernardo Pacquing, Untitled, signed and dated 2001, mixed media on canvas, 20” x 69 1/2” (51 cm x 177 cm)
Bernardo Pacquing, ‘Across the Strings,’ signed and dated 2001, oil, house paint, crayon, pencil on canvas, 31” x 47” (79 cm x 119 cm)
Bernardo Pacquing, ‘Earth,’ signed (verso), dated 2003, oil on canvas, 60” x 48” (152 cm x 122 cm)
Bernardo Pacquing, ‘Across the Strings,’ signed and dated 2001, oil, house paint, crayon, pencil on canvas, 31” x 47” (79 cm x 119 cm)
Bernardo Pacquing’s minimal yet charged abstract compositions are also on the block. While Earth (2003) exemplifies his fascination with urban life, an untitled work and Across the Strings, both painted in 2001, showcase Pacquing’s penchant and proficiency in incorporating familiar shapes, textures, and fragments of everyday life, effectively bringing them closer to the viewers.
Demi Padua © DF Art Agency
Demi Padua, ‘Woman of the Century,’ signed and dated 2023, acrylic on canvas, 48” x 36” (122 cm x 91 cm)
Woman of the Century, by the toast of the art circle, Demetrio ‘Demi’ Padua, will also be up for grabs. This monumental piece is a complex blend of realism and abstraction that explores the identity, perception, and evolution of womanhood. Padua has just concluded his solo exhibition, Layers and Shadows, at the Spoliarium Hall of the National Museum of Fine Arts.
Now on its 15th year, León Gallery continues its mission of making the best of Filipino art accessible to the world.
The Magnificent September Auction is happening this September 13, 2025, 2 PM, at Eurovilla 1, Rufino corner Legazpi Streets, Legazpi Village, Makati City. Preview week is from September 6 to 12, 2025, from 9 AM to 7 PM. For further inquiries, email info@leon-gallery.com or contact +632 8856-27-81. To browse the catalog, visit www.leon-gallery.com.
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