Magnificent masterpieces by Cubist maestro Vicente Manansala from the collection of the “Mother of Sarangani Province” Priscilla L. Chiongbian lead the pack at Leon Gallery’s The Magnificent September Auction 2024, happening on September 14 at 2 pm.
Mrs. Priscilla L. Chiongbian
Three vibrant paintings showing the peak of Manansala’s Transparent Cubism also immortalize the friendship between the artist and Mrs. Chiongbian.
Priscilla and James Chiongbian. © Chiongbian family archives
Manansala holding Still Life at Priscilla’s Beverly Hills home. Chiongbian family archives.
Still Life hanging in the dining room of Priscilla’s Beverly Hills mansion. © Chiongbian family archives
“Mother, public servant, and steward of culture”—that’s how Priscilla Lopong Chiongbian’s alma mater, Silliman University, describes her in her citation as an “Outstanding Silmimanian.” She was the “Mother of Sarangani,” having the distinction of being the province’s first-ever governor when it was separated from South Cotabato in 1992 through legislation authored by her husband, then South Cotabato Third District Representative James Chiongbian.
“Mommy Priscy,” as she was called by her fellow Sarangans, is fondly remembered for her sweet and gentle yet adamant governance. Guided by her powerful principles—encapsulated in her motto “Bring back life, bring back the fish and the trees!”—Priscilla had a people-centered administration rooted in environmental conservation, grassroots development (with particular focus on the indigenous peoples of Sarangani, notably the B’laans), and her well-loved tri-people advocacy of promoting benevolence between the Christian, Muslim, and indigenous populations. Under her governance, Priscilla founded and spearheaded the Provincial Tribal Council.
“PLC was not only a public servant, but also a mother in the truest sense of the word,” said her former provincial planning and development coordinator, Fred Basino.
Priscilla was a great collector and connoisseur of fine art. She became close friends with Vicente Manansala, whom she first met in 1972 through the maestro’s protégé, Ang Kiukok. Priscilla was Ang’s dear friend and one of his first serious collectors, coming at a time when his works had not yet become popular among the circle of art collectors. Ang brought Priscilla to Manansala’s Binangonan abode and, from there, they struck a decade-long friendship. The year 1972 was also when Manansala settled in Binangonan.
The weekly sojourns to Manansala’s home in the hills (known to art collectors as “Simba kay Manansala”) strengthened Priscilla’s bond with the revered artist. Eventually, Priscilla would bring Manansala along on her vacation trips to Europe and the United States for his relaxation. During these trips, Priscilla brought out Manansala’s inner child; he made some of his best works and unleashed the unbridled vibrance of his palette, akin to a little boy with the inexhaustible energy of play.
Priscilla posing for photos in various rooms of her Beverly Hills mansion. © Chiongbian family archives
“To help foster Manansala’s upbeat, positive mood so that he would be moved to paint, Lola would take Manong Vicente Manansala on vacations, entirely for the artist’s inspiration,” said Priscilla’s granddaughter Caroline Sison. “During these journeys with my grandmother and myself, he would paint beautiful works of art, which we now enjoy. I believe that the way Manong Enteng tried to repay Lola for these kindnesses and understanding was that he would do paintings for her. I remember he would spend months at her Beverly Hills home, just painting the pieces that were hanging there.”
Another granddaughter of Priscilla, Pria Chiongbian Solon, also recalled, “Lola Priscy would take us on trips for our summer vacations to her home in L.A. I would remember seeing Maestro Manansala painting in our garden. He would constantly be painting, and I would even marvel to myself, ‘He’s painting again!'”
Woman Playing Guitar hanging in the master’s bedroom of Priscilla’s Beverly Hills mansion. © Chiongbian family archives
Manansala’s paintings featured in Leon Gallery’s auction all had special places in Priscilla’s Beverly Hills home, a testament to the enduring friendship the two formed over the years. In fact, Priscilla even hung one particular painting, Woman Playing Guitar, in her master’s bedroom.
“Mommy Priscy just loved art. It was one of the desires of her heart to collect paintings,” says Priscilla’s daughter-in-law, Nancy. “Manansala became like a brother to her. He painted a lot of paintings for her, for free. And in her gratitude for that kind of friendship and brotherhood, she published a book containing all his works.”
Lot 32, PROPERTY FROM THE PRISCILLA L. CHIONGBIAN COLLECTION, Vicente Manansala (1910 – 1981)
a.) London Scene, signed, dated 1976, and inscribed London (upper right), watercolor on paper, 20” x 14” (51 cm x 36 cm)
b.) Barcelona Cityscape, signed, dated 1976, and inscribed Barcelona (upper left), watercolor on paper, 20” x 14 1/4” (51 cm x 36 cm)
Priscilla published the landmark monograph on Manansala in 1980, authored by the prominent art critic Rodolfo Paras-Perez, as a form of thanksgiving for the artist’s benevolence and camaraderie. In the book’s preface, Paras-Perez congenially describes Priscilla as a person “who feels strongly enough that repaying the pleasure one gets from viewing a painting does not end with its purchase,” signifying the genuine goodwill between Priscilla and Manansala.
Lot 33, PROPERTY FROM THE PRISCILLA L. CHIONGBIAN COLLECTION, Vicente Manansala (1910 – 1981), Roses with Bird of Paradise, signed, dated, and inscribed L.A. 1978 (upper left), oil on canvas, 30” x 30” (76 cm x 76 cm)
Roses with Bird of Paradise in Priscilla’s Beverly Hills home. © Chiongbian family archives
“The Magnificent September Auction” is happening on September 14, 2024, 2 pm, at Eurovilla 1, Rufino corner Legaspi Streets, Legazpi Village, Makati City. Preview week is from September 7 to 13, 2024, from 9 am to 7 pm. For further inquiries, email info@leon-gallery.com or contact tel. no. (+632) 8856-2781. To browse the catalog, visit www.leon-gallery.com.
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