Fernando Amorsolo- Grand Old Man of Philippine Art

From My Art Readings This Week

Fernando Amorsolo (1892–1972) captured the essence of rural Philippine life with his masterful use of light. Born in Daet, Camarines Norte, he moved to Manila after his father’s passing and trained under his cousin, Fabian de la Rosa. He later studied at the UP School of Fine Arts and pursued further training in Madrid with support from Enrique Zobel.

Returning to the Philippines, Amorsolo became a celebrated painter and educator, serving as acting director of the UP School of Fine Arts. His iconic Planting Rice (1922) and other sunlit depictions of daily life became widely reproduced, making him one of the most sought-after artists of his time.

His romanticized vision of the Philippines defined the “Amorsolo school,” a style cherished for its warmth and nostalgia. Decades later, his legacy continues to shine.

Fernando Amorsolo y Cueto (May 30, 1892 – April 24, 1972) was a portraitist and painter of rural Philippine landscapes. Nicknamed the "Grand Old Man of Philippine Art," he was the first-ever to be recognized as a National Artist of the Philippines. He was recognized as such for his "pioneering use of impressionistic technique" as well as his skill in the use of lighting and backlighting in his paintings, "significant not only in the development of Philippine art but also in the formation of Filipino notions of self and identity."

Amorsolo, acclaimed as “Painter of Philippine Sunlight,” is best known for his illuminated landscapes, which often portrayed traditional Filipino customs, culture, fiestas and occupations. His pastoral works presented "an imagined sense of nationhood in counterpoint to American colonial rule" and were important to the formation of Filipino national identity. He was educated in the Classical traditionand aimed "to achieve his Philippine version of the Greek ideal for the human form." In his paintings of Filipina women, Amorsolo rejected Western ideals of beauty in favor of Filipino ideals and was fond of basing the faces of his subjects on members of his family.

Four days after his death, Amorsolo was posthumously honored as the first National Artist of the Philippines at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Amorsolo grave-statue in 2023

The volume of paintings, sketches, and studies of Amorsolo is believed to have reached more than 10,000 pieces. Amorsolo was an important influence on contemporary Filipino art and artists, even beyond the so-called "Amorsolo school." Amorsolo's influence can be seen in many landscape paintings by Filipino artists, including early landscape paintings by abstract painter Federico Aguilar Alcuaz.

Amorsolo statue

In 2003, Amorsolo's children founded the Fernando C. Amorsolo Art Foundation, which is dedicated to preserving Fernando Amorsolo's legacy, promoting his style and vision, and preserving a national heritage through the conservation and promotion of his works.

During his lifetime, Amorsolo had a total of 14 children from two marriages and a common-law-wife. In 1916, he married Salud Tolentino Jorge, with whom he had six children; Salud died in 1931. He then met and lived with common-law wife, Virginia Guevarra Santos, with whom he had three children, namely Manuel (who followed in his father's footstep, with a degree in Fine Arts from the University of the Philippines), Jorge and Norma before he met his would-be second wife, Maria del Carmen. While they were still together, Virginia found an engagement ring in one of Amorsolo's drawers; she knew the ring was for Maria, that prompted her to leave his house with her three children.

In 1935, Fernando married Maria del Carmen who gave him eight more children. Among her daughters with her are Sylvia Amorsolo-Lazo and Luz. But while they were married and Maria was giving birth to his children, Fernando had three more children with Virginia. His reputation was growing as fast as his brood and his work was more than enough to provide for his rather large family. Six of Amorsolo's children became artists themselves. His descendants include Eula Valdez and Paolo Ballesteros.

For Complete Details read:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_Amorsolo

Meanwhile, here's Amorsolo's Painting of the Nipa Hut valued from P750,000 to P850,000. The current dollar to pesos exchange is around 1 to 60. It used to be 1 to 2 when I was a kid, 

Compared this to the Jesse Santos,The Nipa Hut that I owned and displayed in my Apartment Living room here at THD(see painting below). 

Lastly, here's Amorsolo's Most Expensive Painting- Under the Mango Tree

Since 1998 the record price for this artist at auction was $1,030,104 USD sold at León Gallery, Makati in 2024.

Lastly: Here's the List of 7 Most Expensive Paintings In The World 2023

The most renowned paintings, particularly those hailing from the era before 1803, their custodial domain is chiefly the hallowed halls of museums, beckoning patrons from all corners of the world. These veritable gems, seldom traded or sold, stand as exemplars of artistic excellence, and their worth transcends mere valuation. 

1. Mona Lisa - $970 Million
2. Salvator Mundi - $450.3 Million
3. Interchange -  $300 Million
4. The Card Players - $250 Million
5. Nafea Faa Ipoipo - $210 Million
6. Number 17A - $200 Million
7. Wasserschlangen II - $183.8 Million

I am familiar with Painting #1 and #2. I need to see the remaining paintings in the list. How about you? Have you seen all of the 7 paintings in the list above? If you have, I salute You! 

Personal Note: The Other Side of the Story:  This afternoon after the jazz Concert , Joann Konigsberg introduced herself to me and with great conviction said that she is not a racist and had never uttered the 5 letter word  starting with an "N". This was related to an incident when Liza our former African-American driver quit instantly that day. In my posting, I never mentioned Joann name, however based on the events and witnesses ( Liza was one hour late on her pick-up schedule), all the THD readers of my blog guessed it was her who was involved with Liza.  My dear THD readers, I believe that Joann is indeed not a racist, so please stopped talking about that past event and let us move forward. I am hoping that there will be no future similar event between from our almost 99% Caucasian Residents and a couple of THD  African- American or Filipino-Amercan employees.  For Details on the Liza Quitting versus Resident story read my blog:     

https://marinduquemyislandparadise.blogspot.com/2025/08/discrimination-in-united-states.html