PRIZED AMORSOLO PAINTING STOLEN FROM SILAY MUSEUM

(SPOT.ph) A prized painting by National Artist Fernando Amorsolo has been stolen from a museum in Silay City in Negros Occidental, drawing a collective gasp from the Philippine art world on Saturday. 

In a post Friday evening, Facebook Page Silay Heritage broke the news, saying the 1936 painting "Mango Harvesters" has been stolen from the Hofileña Museum. The artwork used to hang at the second floor gallery of the Hofileña family’s 1934 ancestral house, which has been open to the public since 1962.

"The Hofileña Museum in Silay City, Negros Occ. reports the theft of their painting by national artist Fernando C. Amorsolo. Please help in the recovery of this important piece of Philippine art," Silay Heritage said in a post. 

The theft is currently under police investigation, said Solomon Locsin, chair of the Negros Occidental Historical Council and friend of the Hofileña family. 

"The overwhelming public outry in Silay City shows how the house and the artworks have become part of the people's collective memory and pride," said Locsin.

The social media post called on the public to report any information on the stolen painting to the Silay police through the following numbers: 09985987443 and 09989674432.

An important artwork

The 88-year-old oil on canvas painting is among Amorsolo’s familiar works depicting rural life.

"Mango Harvesters" shows a woman arranging a harvest of mangoes on a tray as a man, knelt on the ground, looks on while holding one of two baskets filled with the sweet fruit. A little girl, meanwhile, watches as the grownups complete their tasks for the day. All the figures are under the shade of a tree, and on the ground, other picked mangoes and fruits are strewn all over.

Amorsolo created other iterations of a similar scene, among them "The Mango Harvest" (1948) and "Fruit Seller" (1954). 

Amorsolo, recognized as the "Grand Old Man of Philippine Art," was among the country’s most acclaimed artists, known for his portraiture and paintings that captured daily rural life. He was most prolific from the 1930s until the ‘50s, with his artwork exhibited around the world. He passed away at 79 in 1972 and was posthumously named the country’s first National Artist in Painting. 

Also read: This Amorsolo-Inspired Flower Farm Is Less Than Three Hours Away from Manila

2024-07-06T08:13:03Z dg43tfdfdgfd