Fernando Amorsolo’s iconic paintings, “Burning of Manila” and “Harvest-winnowing Rice,” along with a rare 1899 edition of the Malolos Constitution, have been sold at Leon Gallery’s recent midyear auction.
Photo: Leon Gallery
According to Leon Gallery, the 1942 “Burning of Manila” painting was sold for P36 million, setting a new record for a wartime piece by Amorsolo. The artwork was originally acquired by Don Jacobo Zóbel de Ayala y Roxas from Amorsolo during the Japanese occupation. However, Don Jacobo was among those who endured the infamous Bataan Death March and became a prisoner of war. It was later leased to the National Museum of the Philippines, until Don Jacobo’s son, Don Enrique, decided to pass it on to its new owner.
The “Harvest-winnowing Rice” was sold for P10.2 million. Meanwhile, the Malolos Constitution was bought by Senator Loren Legarda for P2.6 million, starting from a bid of P100,000.
Held on June 7 at Makati City, the auction featured over 160 historical items and artworks, including select artifacts from the collection of renowned Filipino historian Ambeth Ocampo.
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