Hernando Ruiz Ocampo Sold at Auction Prices

b. 1911 - d. 1978

Poverty and suffering are often depicted by distorted shapes in Hernando Ruiz Ocampo's abstract paintings. These pieces of Hernando Ruiz Campo's artwork were created after WWII had left the artist's homeland in devastation. Ocampo's early paintings were often panned by viewers who didn't understand his need for escapism, but they introduced the Philippines to the Neo-Realist art movement.

Hernando Ruiz Ocampo paintings for sale offer bright yellows, purples, and greens that were present in traditional Filipino art during Ocampo's career. In the 50s, Hernando Ruiz Ocampo's abstract paintings took on a more positive outlook when he began painting domestic still life images, such as pottery, fruit, and fish. One of his largest projects was the painting of the Imelda Marcos Monument in the Philippines Cultural Center. Escape reality by viewing artists' mind-bending abstract paintings for sale through Invaluable.

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          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Abstraction 84
            Nov. 30, 2024

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Abstraction 84

            Est: ₱400,000 - ₱520,000

            Abstraction 84 signed, titled and dated 1976 (lower right) watercolor on paper 14” x 21” (36 cm x 53 cm) PROVENANCE: Carolina Guerrero collection Color is the primary element of Hernando R. Ocampo’s art. His canvases are filled with a vibrant spectacle of irregular geometric forms. However, despite his kaleidoscopic palette, his colors have a curious sense of Filipino-ness. A balanced mix of cool and warm hues, Abstraction 84 is a testament to Ocampo’s unrivaled artistry and sublime understanding of color. Although Ocampo’s works may appear simple, they are a result of a meticulous consideration of how each hue, tone, and saturation affect each other and influence the painting’s tension and motion. Notably, his works are devoid of any actual objects, yet they manage to capture people’s attention and recognition, leaving a lasting legacy as befits one of the forerunners of modern art in the Philippines. (Jessica Magno)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)
            Oct. 26, 2024

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)

            Est: ₱25,000 - ₱32,500

            Abstract signed and dated 1977 (lower left) pen and ink on paper 9 1/2" x 6 3/4" (24 cm x 17 cm)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)
            Oct. 26, 2024

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)

            Est: ₱25,000 - ₱32,500

            Nude signed and dated 1977 (lower right) pen and ink on paper 11 1/2" x 8 1/2" (29 cm x 22 cm)

            Leon Gallery
          • HERNANDO RUIZ OCAMPO (1911-1978). Mother and Child. oil on board 81 x 65 cm
            Sep. 27, 2024

            HERNANDO RUIZ OCAMPO (1911-1978). Mother and Child. oil on board 81 x 65 cm

            Est: $500,000 - $700,000

            HERNANDO RUIZ OCAMPO (1911-1978). Mother and Child. oil on board 81 x 65 cm. (31 7⁄8 x 25 5⁄8 in.).

            Christie's
          • H.R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Children Playing
            Sep. 14, 2024

            H.R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Children Playing

            Est: ₱30,000 - ₱45,000

            H.R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) Hand-signed and dated '77' (1977, lower right) Ed. 18/30 Lithograph 29 x 21 cm (11 1/4 x 8 in)

            Salcedo Auctions
          • H.R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Untitled (Abstract)
            Sep. 14, 2024

            H.R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Untitled (Abstract)

            Est: ₱140,000 - ₱180,000

            H.R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) Signed and dated '52' (1952, lower right), and inscribed '17-18-19-20', '19-20-21-22' and '15-16-17-18' (clockwise) Watercolor on paper 20 x 26 cm (7 3/4 x 10 in)

            Salcedo Auctions
          • H.R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Nocturnal Anecdote
            Sep. 14, 2024

            H.R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Nocturnal Anecdote

            Est: ₱10,000,000 - ₱12,000,000

            H.R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) Signed and dated '56' (1956, lower right) Oil on wood 63.5 x 99 cm (25 x 39 in) Provenance: Collection of the Guevara Family, San Juan City National Artist Hernando R. Ocampo is a key figure in Philippine Neo-Realism, alongside Vicente Manansala and Cesar Legaspi. A self-taught artist, Ocampo was initially discouraged from pursuing art, leading him to explore law, commerce, politics, and advertising before fully committing to his artistic passion. He maintained a love for poetry, which influenced his visual art. Ocampo's artistic evolution saw him transition from somber figurative abstractions reflecting personal trauma during the War in the 1940s to his more iconic non-objective abstract pieces in the 1950s and onwards. Inspired by African masks, this work forms part of a celebrated series featuring richly textured earth and jewel tones that showcased his 'mutant' aesthetic and can be seen as a seminal period in the germination of Ocampo's biomorphic compositions. The lot on offer, arguably one of the most significant works of the artist from this period, and previously offered as an untitled work at Salcedo Auctions 'the Well-Appointed Life' in September 2023, has been identified as quite possibly the work titled 'Nocturnal Anecdote' which is listed in the artist's catalogue raisonne as it appears on the Artes delas Filipinas website, which was in turn sourced from an earlier article that appeared in the Pamana 13, June 1974 issue. This opinion is primarily based on the fact that there is only one work in the said list of Ocampo's 1956 paintings that is of the same size as the lot on offer, in addition to it hewing to the style of the artist's recognized works from that time. The list further mentions the late journalist and art collector Jose L. Guevara as its owner. There is no physical record of a transfer of this painting between him and the late industrialist Domingo M. Guevara, whose heirs are the present owners; but it is highly likely, assuming that a transaction had occurred, to have taken place sometime after the artist's bio-data and catalogue raisonne was first prepared in 1971. Another hypothesis is that there was a comprehensible error in the preparation of Ocampo's list of paintings, seeing that both Jose, who is listed as having owned several works of the artist, and Domingo, though unrelated, shared the same surname. Domingo M. Guevara, after whom the street in Mandaluyong City is named, was a self-made tycoon, who significantly contributed to the Philippine economy in the 1960s and 1970s by pioneering local manufacturing of televisions, radios, and cars, including the first Filipino-designed vehicle, the 'Sakbayan.' Today, his upstanding legacy remains through the Guevent Group, which continues to thrive in diverse sectors, including manufacturing, communications, and real estate. The synergy of National Artist Hernando R. Ocampo and the Guevara family's pioneering legacies are indeed beautifully embodied in this very important artwork.

            Salcedo Auctions
          • H.R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Five Days Before Christmas
            Sep. 14, 2024

            H.R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Five Days Before Christmas

            Est: ₱2,600,000 - ₱3,000,000

            H.R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) Signed and dated '76' (1976, lower left) Acrylic on canvas 81 x 61 cm (32 x 24 in) Provenance: Acquired by the current owner from the artist's son-in-law In the late 1970s, as National Artist H.R. Ocampo approached the final chapters of his illustrious career, he continued to make remarkable advancements in his artistic practice, creating some of his most significant and influential works. Renowned for his pioneering contributions to modernist art, Ocampo employed abstraction and symbolism to explore the complexities of human existence. This transformative period in his life and career saw his artwork evolve to reflect a deeper engagement with existential themes, as well as the societal shifts occurring around him. It marked a time of profound experimentation, during which Ocampo pushed the boundaries of abstract art even further. His canvases from this era exhibit a powerful fusion of emotive expression and technical innovation, highlighting his role as a leading figure in Philippine modern art and solidifying his legacy as a visionary within the abstract movement. The artworks he produced during this phase--referred to as the 'Visual Melody Period'--are particularly notable for their intricate compositions, characterized by the interplay of abstract shapes and vibrant colors that create a rich visual language. In Angel G. de Jesus' 1979 publication, H.R. Ocampo: The Artist as Filipino, Ocampo articulated to the author his aspiration to achieve "pure painting," comparing it to the delicate nuances found in chamber music. This philosophy is evident in the two lots currently on offer, which exemplify his keen focus on the interactions among shapes, colors, values, textures, and lines within the spatial context of his compositions, rather than merely striving for a photographic representation of the natural world. By emphasizing the relationships between these elements, Ocampo's work encourages viewers to engage in a unique dialogue, inviting them to experience a deeper emotional and aesthetic journey that transcends straightforward depiction. The provenance of these two paintings further underscores their importance within Ocampo's oeuvre. Acquired directly from one of the artist's sons-in-law, these pieces, which were in the family's collection for nearly 50 years, carry a personal history that enriches their significance. Reference: Angel G. De Jesus, H.R. Ocampo: The Artist as Filipino, Heritage Publishing House, Quezon City, 1979

            Salcedo Auctions
          • H.R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Untitled (Abstraction)
            Sep. 14, 2024

            H.R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Untitled (Abstraction)

            Est: ₱2,400,000 - ₱2,800,000

            H.R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) Signed and dated '78' (1978, lower right) Acrylic on canvas 81 x 61 cm (32 x 24 in) Provenance: Acquired by the current owner from the artist's son-in-law In the late 1970s, as National Artist H.R. Ocampo approached the final chapters of his illustrious career, he continued to make remarkable advancements in his artistic practice, creating some of his most significant and influential works. Renowned for his pioneering contributions to modernist art, Ocampo employed abstraction and symbolism to explore the complexities of human existence. This transformative period in his life and career saw his artwork evolve to reflect a deeper engagement with existential themes, as well as the societal shifts occurring around him. It marked a time of profound experimentation, during which Ocampo pushed the boundaries of abstract art even further. His canvases from this era exhibit a powerful fusion of emotive expression and technical innovation, highlighting his role as a leading figure in Philippine modern art and solidifying his legacy as a visionary within the abstract movement. The artworks he produced during this phase--referred to as the 'Visual Melody Period'--are particularly notable for their intricate compositions, characterized by the interplay of abstract shapes and vibrant colors that create a rich visual language. In Angel G. de Jesus' 1979 publication, H.R. Ocampo: The Artist as Filipino, Ocampo articulated to the author his aspiration to achieve "pure painting," comparing it to the delicate nuances found in chamber music. This philosophy is evident in the two lots currently on offer, which exemplify his keen focus on the interactions among shapes, colors, values, textures, and lines within the spatial context of his compositions, rather than merely striving for a photographic representation of the natural world. By emphasizing the relationships between these elements, Ocampo's work encourages viewers to engage in a unique dialogue, inviting them to experience a deeper emotional and aesthetic journey that transcends straightforward depiction. The provenance of these two paintings further underscores their importance within Ocampo's oeuvre. Acquired directly from one of the artist's sons-in-law, these pieces, which were in the family's collection for nearly 50 years, carry a personal history that enriches their significance. Reference: Angel G. De Jesus, H.R. Ocampo: The Artist as Filipino, Heritage Publishing House, Quezon City, 1979

            Salcedo Auctions
          • H.R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Untitled XXII (Color Study)
            Sep. 14, 2024

            H.R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Untitled XXII (Color Study)

            Est: ₱220,000 - ₱300,000

            H.R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) Signed and dated '45' (1945, lower right) Watercolor on pressed board 33 x 25.4 cm (13 x 10 in) A Galerie Dominique label is affixed to the back of the frame Literature: Angel G. De Jesus, H.R. Ocampo: The Artist as a Filipino, Heritage Publishing House, Quezon City, 1979, p. 86 Note: Published in the book as measuring 8 1/2 x 11 inches. Salcedo Auctions is of the opinion that this is the the lot on offer and that the difference in measurement was possibly due to a change of matting at some point or an editorial error. Provenance: Acquired directly from the son of the artist

            Salcedo Auctions
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Karnabal
            Sep. 14, 2024

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Karnabal

            Est: ₱6,000,000 - ₱7,800,000

            PROPERTY FROM THE DON VICENTE “TIKING” H. LOPEZ COLLECTION Karnabal signed and dated 1971 (lower left) handwritten dedication, "To Tiking, art patron but above all a good friend. Nanding, March 15, 1971" (verso) oil on canvas 32” x 24” (81 cm x 61 cm) PROVENANCE: A gift from the artist to Don Vicente “Tiking” H. Lopez, Jr. LITERATURE: Literature: Tiongson, Nicanor G., ed. Artista ng Bayan 1991. Cultural Center of the Philippines. Manila. 1991. Listed on page 37 as “338. Karnabal” under H.R. Ocampo’s List of Paintings (Partial)”. Hufana, Alejandrino G., ed. Pamana 13 June 1974: A Cultural Quarterly Published by the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Manila: Cultural Center of the Philippines, 1974. Listed on page 20 as “333. Karnabal (oil, 32” x24”, 1971) owned by Vicente Lopez, Jr.”under the artist’s list of paintings. WRITE UP The Visual Melody Period (1968 to 1978) of Hernando R. Ocampo was a sustained endeavor in pursuit of an elusive path towards capturing the sublime qualities of music in painting. In particular, Ocampo's venture into his Visual Melody stemmed from a deep appreciation for pure music. It was the peak of his Neo-Realist identity, in which he emphasized a kind of music naturally soothing and intimate in character, echoing the original Neo-Realist manifesto based on the words of Francesco de Santis, "To create reality, an artist must first have the force to kill it. But instantly, the fragments draw together again, in love with each other, seeking one another, coming together wit h desire, with the obscure presentiment of the new life to which they are destined." Thus, in Ocampo's Visual Melody, the indulging experience of listening to music transforms into a palpable vision of harmony. Above all, the Visual Melody sees Ocampo at his rawest, showcasing the inherent beauty in emotional vulnerability and authenticity. This 1971 work, Karnabal (Carnival), was Ocampo's gift to his leading patron and beloved friend, Don Vicente "Tiking" H. Lopez, Jr., whose name is given special distinction for being included in Ocampo's list of collectors published in the monograph written by his biographer, Angel G. de Jesus. At the back of Karnabal lies a tender handwritten dedication by Ocampo that says, "To Tiking, Art patron, best above all, a good friend. Nanding March 15, 1971 It is interesting to note that when Ocampo made this work at the height of his Visual Melody Period, Don Tiking had yet to rediscover his first love—music. It would only be seven years later that Don Tiking would find joy again in music, with Woman's magazine noting in its December 14, 1979 article "This Cellist Plays for Fun": "But last year, Tiking felt the urge and yearning to strum his 200-year old cello, which, for 16 long years, was neatly tucked in his Ermita penthouse." The article adds, "Then, confident of himself after several months, he formed the Elena Piano and String Ensemble… After all these years, Tiking has come back to his first love." A June 26, 1971 article from The Manila Bulletin describes Don Tiking not as a music appassionato but as "one of the country's avid art collectors." "He has recently converted his hacienda in San Carlos City into a haven for artists who devote themselves to perfecting techniques," the article notes. "Lopez today boasts of one of the biggest collections of Filipino paintings in the country today. His office at the Elena Apartments in Ermita has become converted into an art gallery." "Unlike many of his contemporaries who collect for speculation's sake, Tiking loves his collection to the point of being thoroughly emotional about every single piece," writes the print media titan Julie Yap Daza in her December 22, 1971 Manila Bulletin article titled "In search of a voice." In Karnabal, Ocampo employs an exuberant profusion of colors to capture the festive atmosphere of the carnival. Colors bursting at the seams and the organic abstracted forms characteristic of Ocampo's art in the immediate postwar period and fully realized during his Visual Melody Period instantly recall a carnival scene brimming with life, where merriment never ends. Colors bursting at the seams yet confined in a singular canvas evoke the intimate setting of chamber music, in which Ocampo and eventually Don Tiking would both take delight. A December 22, 1979 Times Journal article by Julie Yap Daza says, "These days, however, Tiking is more keenly tuned to chamber music," signifying the haciendero collector's reconnection with music. Chamber music was dubbed "the music of friends" by the prominent English composer and pianist Richard Henry Walthew in a 1909 lecture to succinctly capture its distinct character of being played by small ensembles in private, intimate settings. When this is contextualized with Karnabal, Ocampo warmly reminds his "good friend," Don Tiking, to once again indulge in the blessings of music, where the evocative and moving intonations of humanity's soul reside. (Adrian Maranan)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Bosquejo
            Sep. 14, 2024

            Hernando Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Bosquejo

            Est: ₱2,600,000 - ₱3,380,000

            Bosquejo signed and dated 1969 (lower right) oil on canvas 18” x 14” (46 cm x 36 cm) WRITE UP There is a peculiar Filipino flavor in the colors of Hernando R. Ocampo. His sublime sense of color has elevated his works to a whole new level, a status that his fellow artist Fernando Zobel acknowledged when he noted that Ocampo’s colors “do not glow” but “glare.” As Ocampo’s interest in colors grew, he learned to wield only hues in portraying what depth, space, luminosity, and form would otherwise do. This mastery is evident in his 1969 Bosquejo. Translating to “sketch” from Spanish, Bosquejo utilizes the usual Ocampo fiery reds; however, Ocampo's mastery of hues manages to transform the planes in varying shades of red into an image of a woman's torso. One could easily see the curves of her body and the swell of her breasts only through prismatic planes of scarlet. “Color is the main physical property of Ocampo’s paintings; subject matter comes second,” writes Manuel D. Duldulao in Contemporary Philippine Art. “[However], this does not mean an escape from reality.” Indeed, Bosquejo is proof of this; while Ocampo’s colors take center stage, his approximation and careful consideration of line and space create a figurative image that peers through the abstraction, an awe-inspiring result of Ocampo’s painstaking attention to detail. (Hannah Valiente)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - a.) Abstraction 13 b.) Abstraction 21
            Sep. 14, 2024

            Hernando Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - a.) Abstraction 13 b.) Abstraction 21

            Est: ₱500,000 - ₱650,000

            a.) Abstraction 13 signed and dated April 17, 1976 (lower right) watercolor on paper 22" x 15" (56 cm x 38 cm) b.) Abstraction 21 signed and dated April 17, 1976 (lower left) watercolor on paper 22" x 15" (56 cm x 38 cm) WRITE UP Hernando R. Ocampo’s Abstraction 13 and Abstraction 21 both feature the native sensibilities of his works. Both done on April 17 of 1976, they contain the culmination of Ocampo’s illustrious career as it was done just two years before his death. One could argue that Ocampo’s brilliant sense of color is wholly and truly Filipino. Despite a multitude of chances to study abroad, Ocampo took the path less traveled and chose to stay in the country, studying the Western masters only through reproductions instead of facing them in real life. The result is an innate sense of color as Filipino as one artist could be. Abstraction 13 and Abstraction 21 indulge in the vibrant, fiery yellows reminiscent of the hot summer afternoons that are as recognizable as sublime in their pursuit of translating musicality into his pieces. Organic shapes fill the canvases and yet, Ocampo’s abstraction manages to translate his thoughts almost perfectly with his lifelong quest to understand colors leading to his usage of hues in place of form, shapes, figures, and space. As such, it is easy to imagine the sweltering heat of the summer Ocampo painted the pieces in, intimate and warm in their abstractions. (Hannah Valiente)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)
            Jul. 27, 2024

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)

            Est: ₱50,000 - ₱65,000

            Patched World signed and dated 1955 (lower right) pencil on paper 15" x 11 1/4" (38 cm x 29 cm)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)
            Jul. 27, 2024

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)

            Est: ₱50,000 - ₱65,000

            Untitled signed and dated 1971 (lower right) oil on paper 11" x 8 1/4" (28 cm x 21 cm)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)
            Jul. 27, 2024

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)

            Est: ₱50,000 - ₱65,000

            Untitled signed and dated 1971 (lower right) oil on paper 11" x 8 1/4" (28 cm x 21 cm)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)
            Jul. 27, 2024

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)

            Est: ₱120,000 - ₱156,000

            PROPERTY FROM THE DR. AND MRS. ROBERTO MACASAET COLLECTION Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) Untitled signed and dated 1974 (lower right) oil on paper 16 1/2” x 10 1/2” (42 cm x 27 cm)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)
            Jul. 27, 2024

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)

            Est: ₱25,000 - ₱32,500

            Nude signed and dated 1975 (lower right) pen and ink on paper 10 1/2” x 8” (27 cm x 20 cm)

            Leon Gallery
          • SIGNED HERNANDO RUIZ OCAMPO ABSTRACT OIL PAINTING
            Jun. 29, 2024

            SIGNED HERNANDO RUIZ OCAMPO ABSTRACT OIL PAINTING

            Est: $100 - $150

            An oil on paper painting depicting an abstract composition signed, H.R. Ocampo, and dated 78 lower right. Hernando Ruiz Ocampo 1911 to 1978, was a Filipino National Artist in the visual arts. H. R. Ocampo is known for having created a new form of abstraction that embodies the flora and fauna of the Philippines. H. R. Ocampo was born on April 28, 1911, in Manila, Philippines. He taught himself to paint. Before becoming an artist, he studied law and creative writing. He started his career as a member of the Saturday Group, along with Vicente Silva Manansala and Cesar Legaspi. Over time, his interest evolved from depicting workers to creating abstract forms. In his works, Ocampo employed movement and bold colors, basing his art on fantasy and science fiction. His art has been described as abstract compositions of biological forms. H. R. Ocampo died on December 28, 1978, in Caloocan, Philippines, at the age of 67. In 1991, he was posthumously awarded the title of National Artist of the Visual Arts. Abstract Art Work Collectibles.

            Antique Arena Inc
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Good Friday In Caloocan
            Jun. 08, 2024

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Good Friday In Caloocan

            Est: ₱4,000,000 - ₱5,200,000

            Good Friday In Caloocan signed and dated 1978 (lower right) acrylic on canvas 30" x 40" (76 cm x 102 cm) EXHIBITED: The Peninsula Manila Gallery, H.R. Ocampo: Third Solo Exhibition (A Celebration of H.R. Ocampo's 67th Birthday), Makati, 28 April - 25 May 1978 LITERATURE: De Jesus, Angel G. H.R. Ocampo: The Artist as Filipino. Quezon City: Heritage Publishing House, 1979. Black-and-white illustration on page 38 and listed as "51. Good Friday in Caloocan" with painting description on page 39. Benesa, Leonidas V. "Ocampo's Seven in red, white, and black," Philippines Daily Express. May 12, 1978. Mentioned in the article as "Good Friday in Caloocan." "H.R., too, believes in 'lucky seven'," Journal. April 23, 1978. Captured in a black-and-white photograph of the artist painting the work. Home Sweet Home at Maypajo, Caloocan: One of H.R. Ocampo’s Last Works Muses are no stranger to Filipino artists. There's the dalaga for Amorsolo, the Madonna of the Slums for Manansala, the cyclists and performers for Luz—and curiously, Maypajo, Caloocan for H.R. Ocampo. Although Ocampo was born in Santa Cruz, Manila, his family later moved to Maypajo, Caloocan, when he was five. It was there where Ocampo faced the harsh realities of life. Eager to help his financially struggling family, Ocampo became a shoe-shine boy for both local and foreign customers of the nearby cabarets. Then, at 17, he became a cashier at the Maypajo cabaret. (Ocampo playfully recounted that aside from tending the cash register, he also dated some of the bailarinas (hostesses) whose daily attendances he checked.) Strangely but fittingly, Maypajo would become the focal point of Ocampo's third solo exhibition in May 1978—fittingly as some of the works were his homage to his beloved hometown, yet strangely because it was only his third solo exhibition after four solid decades in the art scene. The work at hand, Good Friday in Caloocan, was among the seven acrylic works (all measuring 30 inches by 40 inches) exhibited in Ocampo's milestone third one-man show held at the Peninsula Manila Gallery in Makati. Aside from being an homage to his dear Maypajo, the said exhibition marked Ocampo's 67th birthday, and as art critic Leonidas V. Benesa describes in his Philippines Daily Express article "Ocampo's Seven in red, white, and black"—”a change in color and design.” While Ocampo first incorporated acrylic into his oeuvre in 1974, the works in the show are made distinct by the artist's reduction of his palette to only black, white, and red. "The forms and shapes aren't different," succinctly writes Benesa, "but it is the first time Ocampo has tried to paint paintings in black and white, the two-color polarities, with the color red used to accentuate the design, dramatically. Sixty-two years after experiencing the harsh realities of life in Maypajo, Ocampo would again experience "harshness," this time from critics and fellow artists. The notable change in color Ocampo exhibits in Good Friday in Caloocan and the other works in the show were his sassy response to critics for lashing out at his supposed creative stagnation. According to Benesa, the critics deemed Ocampo "no longer as creative as he used to be, or that in any case, he is on a plateau, basking in the adulation of admirers." Benesa even shared a juicy tidbit about why Ocampo originally produced the paintings: "At a meeting of the First Friday group at the house of Vicente Manansala, Cesar Legaspi—one of the original Neorealists, is said to have suddenly lashed out at both the host and Ocampo for having allowed themselves to fall into the rot of complacency and repetition." It was then revealed to Ocampo by Betty, Legaspi’s wife, that Cesar was “intoxicated.” With the works' fiery reds and unforgiving blacks, tempered only by the pure yet wailing whites, Ocampo makes clear his own stand. And while indeed, there are works in the exhibition that are subtle responses against Legaspi, mainly "When Aries Became a Bull" (Legaspi's zodiac sign was Aries, and the reds in Ocampo's new paintings are meant to provoke him like a bull), Good Friday in Caloocan softens Ocampo's sweet retribution by redirecting the focus towards the artist's beloved Maypajo. The work at hand evokes not only the solemnity of Christ's crucifixion and death but also the distinctiveness of the Filipinos' religious-cum-cultural fervor surrounding Lent, particularly on Good Friday. With the impassioned reds, meditative blacks, and purifying whites, Ocampo captures the Caloocan (and Filipino) penitensya manifested in various degrees—ranging from the modest fasting, abstinence, pabasa, senakulo, and siete palabras, to the more extreme self-flagellation. Retrospectively, Good Friday in Caloocan is a full-circle moment for Ocampo. Maypajo was where he learned the searing lessons of life. To Maypajo, he dedicates a body of work encapsulating the penetratingly fulfilling (and sometimes grating) realities of living within a dynamic art landscape. For Ocampo, criticism can be handled with much gusto and restrained elegance. Good Friday in Caloocan would become one of Ocampo's last works, as he would untimely die of a heart attack on December 28, 1978. (Adrian Maranan)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Abstraction Series
            Jun. 08, 2024

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Abstraction Series

            Est: ₱800,000 - ₱1,040,000

            PROPERTY FROM THE DON J. ANTONIO ARANETA COLLECTION Abstraction Series signed and dated 1978 (lower left) oil on canvas 15" x 11" (38 cm x 28 cm) H.R. Ocampo’s grasp on colors and tonalities is arguably one of the most iridescent and vibrant in Philippine art history. A melting pot of East and West, Ocampo’s decision to stay in the country despite many grants extended to him for studies abroad meant his abstractions are touted as quintessentially if somewhat ineffably Filipino. His colors brim; In the words of Fernando Zobel, his works do not glare in their brightness – they glow. “It is precisely this quality,” continues Zobel, “that gives them…their peculiar Philippine flavor.” In this 1978 work, the vibrancy of an Ocampo palette takes center stage. Done in shades of green broken only by touches of cream-white, Ocampo shows his talent with colors in abstraction. One of the foremost colorists in the country (arguably in Philippine art history), he grapples with using color alone to express what form, shape, depth, and figurative subjects would have been able to do. “In my pictures, I am interested in how shapes, hues, values, textures, and lines interact with one another in space rather than in capturing a photographic semblance of nature,” says Ocampo as Manuel D. Duldulao recounts in his book Contemporary Philippine Art. “I am more preoccupied with the creation of new realities in terms of stress and strain, rather than with the portrayal of such conventional emotions as hate, love, anger, etc.” Self-taught Ocampo remains to be one of the most soughtafter Filipino artists. This 1978 work, done at the year of his death, is a culmination of his five-decade-long career, his lifelong process of learning evident in every painstaking pattern painted on the canvas. (Hannah Valiente)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Sonata in Green
            Jun. 08, 2024

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Sonata in Green

            Est: ₱12,000,000 - ₱15,600,000

            PROPERTY FORMERLY IN THE TITO AND ELVIRA MANAHAN COLLECTION Sonata in Green signed and dated 1969 (lower right) oil on canvas 30" x 40" (76 cm x 102 cm) PROVENANCE: Acquired directly from the artist LITERATURE: Duldulao, Manuel D. Contemporary Philippine Art (From the Fifties to the Seventies). Manila: Vera-Reyes, Inc., 1972. Full-color illustration and painting description on page 139. Laya, Jaime C, Mariano C. Lao, and Edilberto B. Bravo. Hidden Treasures, Simple Pleasures. Makati City: Bookhaven, Inc., 2009. Full-color illustration and painting description on page 76. Tiongson, Nicanor G., ed. Artista ng Bayan 1991. Cultural Center of the Philippines. Manila. 1991. Listed on page 37 as "302. Sonata in Green" under HR Ocampo's "List of Paintings (Partial)". Hufana, Alejandrino G., ed. Pamana 13 June 1974: A Cultural Quarterly Published by the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Manila: Cultural Center of the Philippines, 1974. Listed on page 20 as '302. Sonata in Green' under the artist's list of paintings. THE MANAHAN H.R. OCAMPO From the Artist’s Coveted Visual Melody Period When H.R. Ocampo painted Sonata in Green, he was at the height of his "Visual Melody Period." In a May 1972 interview with Cid Reyes, Ocampo described this period as "approximating the properties of music…I approach my paintings now as if they were chamber music, which, I suppose, one can consider pure music." The Visual Melody Period is Ocampo at his most lyrical, making this period his most coveted by collectors—and indeed, his most revered. In Sonata in Green, Ocampo charmingly captures various shades of green—from deep, dark tones to airy and more delicate hues. Ocampo paints a dynamic image of captivating musicality. Since a sonata means "a piece played," one can even imagine through the diverging shades of greens Ocampo going through the tranquilizing largos and adagios to the restrained andantinos and moderatos before progressing high up towards the electrifying allegros, coupled with the embellishments of a coloratura passagework. Through Ocampo's rendering of organic forms, music and painting come alive, dancing in unbridled harmony. Music is weaved into painting, both art forms singing in unison to mold a visual expression of resonating, philharmonic depth. Perhaps it was Ocampo's visual articulation of a concerto that had drawn the enchantress of a woman that was Elvira Manahan—herself an elite force in Philippine show business, and the dashing aficionado and patron of the arts that was Dr. Constantino Manahan. THE MANAHAN H.R. OCAMPO From the Artist’s Coveted Visual Melody Period Sonata in Green is one of Ocampo's most documented works. It is a gem of a book piece, appearing in numerous publications, including Manuel Duldulao's landmark monograph Contemporary Philippine Art, the June 1974 issue of the CCP quarterly Pamana, and Nicanor Tiongson's Artista ng Bayan. A year before the creation of Sonata in Green, Ocampo had painted the iconic Genesis, which he dubbed "the full-flowering of his Visual Melody Period." Genesis would be transformed into the monumental tapestry serving as the main stage curtain of the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Main Theater (Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo). The Genesis tapestry and the CCP edifice were inaugurated in September 1969. There is an interesting backstory that occurs after Ocampo's high-powered use of a green palette in 1969, particularly with this work at hand. In his 9 October 1969 column in the Times, critic Alfredo Roces writes that Ocampo worked on a series of red and orange paintings "some months ago" because he could not find any supply of green oil paints due to what Roces says is an effect of tightened dollar restrictions thus, producing a shortage of art supplies, which are not produced locally. Retrospectively, Sonata in Green is part music appropriation and part reminder of Ocampo's adaptability and versatility in both medium and palette. Thus, Sonata in Green would form part of the genesis of yet another transitional period for Ocampo—the exceptional colorist, in terms of his color palette, which critics and collectors alike had always praised. (Adrian Maranan)

            Leon Gallery
          • Painting, Hernando Ruiz Ocampo
            May. 17, 2024

            Painting, Hernando Ruiz Ocampo

            Est: $500,000 - $700,000

            Hernando Ruiz Ocampo (Filipino, 1911-1978), "Mga Kiti," 1978, acrylic on tetoron, signed and dated along right edge, tetoron (unframed): 35.5"h x 354.25"w. Provenance: Private collection, Northern California

            Clars Auctions
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)
            Apr. 20, 2024

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)

            Est: ₱15,000 - ₱19,500

            Abstract signed and dated 1977 (lower left) pen and ink on paper 9 1/2" x 6 3/4" (24 cm x 17 cm)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)
            Apr. 20, 2024

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)

            Est: ₱15,000 - ₱19,500

            Untitled signed and dated 1974 (lower right) pen and ink on paper 11" x 8" (28 cm x 20 cm)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)
            Apr. 20, 2024

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)

            Est: ₱15,000 - ₱19,500

            Analogy (C) signed and dated 1969 (lower right) pen and ink on paper 8 1/2" x 11" (22 cm x 28 cm)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)
            Apr. 20, 2024

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)

            Est: ₱400,000 - ₱520,000

            a.) Untitled oil on paper 11 1/2" x 8 3/4" (29 cm x 22 cm) b.) Untitled signed and dated 1974 (lower left) oil on paper 11 1/2" x 8 3/4" (29 cm x 22 cm) PROVENANCE A gift from the artist to the present owner

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)
            Apr. 20, 2024

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)

            Est: ₱500,000 - ₱650,000

            Abstraction 60 signed and dated 1976 (lower left) watercolor on paper 27 1/2" x 20" (70 cm x 51 cm)

            Leon Gallery
          • Painting, Hernando Ruiz Ocampo
            Mar. 21, 2024

            Painting, Hernando Ruiz Ocampo

            Est: $700,000 - $1,000,000

            Hernando Ruiz Ocampo (Filipino, 1911-1978), "Mga Kiti," 1978, acrylic on tetoron, signed and dated along right edge, tetoron (unframed): 35.5"h x 354.25"w. Provenance: Private collection, Northern California

            Clars Auctions
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - A Song for the Month of May
            Mar. 09, 2024

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - A Song for the Month of May

            Est: ₱4,800,000 - ₱6,240,000

            PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF A DISTINGUISHED FAMILY A Song for the Month of May signed and dated 1976 (lower right and verso) acrylic on canvas 40" x 30" (102 cm x 76 cm) WRITE UP: H.R.Ocampo masterfully suffused his central imagery with a myriad of colors. The essence of color permeates these themes, demonstrating a disciplined strength yet profound sensitivity. Ocampo's canvases pulsate with the vibrancy of tropical sunlight, the verdancy of forests, the vividness of folk art, the flamboyance of town fiestas, and most notably, the radiant hues of the sari-manok, a bird revered in Muslim tradition. The specific use of morning greens, among other hues, accentuates the harmony and interplay of complementary colors, focusing the viewer's attention on the dynamic interrelation of color and texture. This synergy crafts a distinctive lyrical expressiveness, transcending the confines of the depicted subjects. Ocampo articulates a preference for exploring the interplay of shapes, hues, values, textures, and lines within a given space, eschewing the mere replication of nature's photographic likeness. His artistic preoccupation lies with fabricating new dimensions of reality, defined by nuances of tension and dynamics, rather than depicting traditional emotional spectrums like hatred, love, or anger. The lot at hand is situated within the context of Ocampo's later creative period, notably as he approached the final chapters of his life. The year 1976 marked a prolific phase in Ocampo's career, during which he ambitiously produced 65 new works to commemorate his 65th birthday. This phase of his oeuvre reflects a departure from the thematic preoccupations of his earlier years, which were predominantly imbued with political, philosophical, religious, and social connotations. Emerging from a generation profoundly shaped by the experiences of war and poverty, Ocampo's later works, including "A Song for 58 PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF A DISTINGUISHED FAMILY Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) A Song for the Month of May signed and dated 1976 (lower right and verso) acrylic on canvas 40" x 30" (102 cm x 76 cm) P 4,800,000 Hernando Ocampo © Galleria Duemila the Month of May," underscore a refined exploration of his artistic process. Here, the emphasis shifts towards an introspective study of color, line, shape, and form, demonstrating a nuanced evolution in his approach to art. This transition not only highlights Ocampo's mastery over visual elements but also signifies a deeper, more contemplative engagement with the medium, free from the explicit narrative constraints that characterized his initial phases of work. (Ysabella Vistan)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Abstraction 109
            Mar. 09, 2024

            Hernando Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Abstraction 109

            Est: ₱900,000 - ₱1,170,000

            Abstraction 109 signed and dated 1977 (lower right) acrylic on board 30" x 22" (76 cm x 56 cm) PROVENANCE Dr Victor Reyes Collection WRITE UP: National Artist Hernando Ocampo is one of the major and sublime colorists of Philippine art. Already a main player in the arena of Philippine modern art in the 1950s, his impact on Philippine art history cannot be overstated with Lyd Arguilla herself saying in 1962: “Modern art in the Philippines meant Hernando R. Ocampo. One was either for or against modern art as one was for or against Ocampo.” Abstraction 109, created in 1977, was a decade past Lyd Arguilla’s statement and yet Ocampo’s influence still holds. Containing Ocampo’s signature vibrant colors and interactive forms, it is a study of both East and West influences – the concepts of Bauhaus are combined with a native sensibility. The works of Ocampo look deceptively simple but his oeuvre results from a thorough process of consideration of each tone, hue, and saturation, their effects in relation to each other, and their effect on the painting’s movement and tension. Abstraction 109 utilized a warm orange and fiery red color palette and a dancelike flow to its delineated planes – proof of Ocampo’s continued mastery of his art. (Hannah Valiente)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Homage to Margot Fonteyn
            Mar. 09, 2024

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Homage to Margot Fonteyn

            Est: ₱4,600,000 - ₱5,980,000

            Homage to Margot Fonteyn signed and dated 1974 (lower right) acrylic on masonite board 36” x 36” (91 cm x 91 cm) PROVENANCE: Acquired directly from the artist Private collection, Japan LITERATURE: De Jesus, Angel G. H.R. Ocampo: The Artist as Filipino. Manila: Heritage Publishing, 1979. Black-and-white photograph on page 62 and painting description on page 63. WRITE UP: Ode to a Prima Ballerina From the Alpha Neo-Realist When H.R. Ocampo made this loving homage to the legendary English ballerina Dame Margot Fonteyn (born Margaret Evelyn de Arias), the artist was at his most powerful in terms of visual language characterized by a sublime poetic lyricism and injecting evocative imagery and recollections. The work at hand belongs to the final period of Ocampo’s painting career: the “Visual Melody Period” of 1968 to 1978, which he described in a May 1972 interview with Cid Reyes and published in Conversations on Philippine Art as “approximating the properties of music,” approaching his paintings “as if they were chamber music, which, I suppose, one can consider “pure music.” This period also saw the creation of what is perhaps Ocampo’s magnum opus: the 1969 oil painting Genesis, which he deemed as the “full-flowering” of his Visual Melody and would eventually be transformed into a monumental tapestry for the main stage curtain of the CCP Main Theater (Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo). Ocampo’s “Visual Melody Period” also coincided with a string of venerable honors bestowed upon the artist: the 1969 “Patnubay ng Sining,” Araw ng Maynila Award, the 1976 “Diwa ng Lahi,” the highest cultural award of the Araw ng Maynila festivities, and the 1977 Caloocan City “Outstanding Citizen Award.” Homage to Margot Fonteyn also shows Ocampo in one of his earliest experimentations in acrylic. Eminent art critic Rod. Paras-Perez writes in his article “Ocampo: A New Vision,” dated August 12, 1974: “At 63, when most painters of the same generation have settled down to the use of one medium, Hernando R. Ocampo, post-war patriarch of modern art in the Philippines, takes to acrylic—likes it, and finds in the process, renewal.” In the same article, Ocampo even says that he approached an artist-friend for much-needed advice, who instructed him to use boards instead of canvas (the work at hand is painted on masonite board). Back to the painting’s subject, Dame Margot Fonteyn was among the most prominent international performers ever to grace the stage of the then-newly inaugurated Cultural Center of the Philippines. She was the “Prima Ballerina Assoluta” of the acclaimed British classical ballet company, the Royal Ballet (The title was accorded to her by Queen Elizabeth II, Patron of the Royal Ballet Company, in 1979 in honor of her 60th birthday.). Due to her numerous appearances at the CCP in the 1970s, Fonteyn became Manila’s “ballet darling” and was bestowed the International Artist Award in 1976. Ocampo was inspired to paint Fonteyn when he had the opportunity to watch the dame in one of her performances at the CCP in the early 1970s. The colors vary from earthy browns to ochres, seemingly evoking the stage floor of the Main Theater, which is made of Philippine mahogany. Ocampo’s senses harmoniously collide into each other like the melodious concordance of string, woodwind, and brass instruments that likely accompanied Fonteyn’s performance. The artist uses flat yet inherently and incessantly vibrant colors that metamorphose into each other seamlessly, in as much as those instruments resonated throughout the theater. One can imagine Ocampo’s Genesis tapestry serving as a majestic backdrop to the evocative gracefulness of Fonteyn’s ballerina virtuoso, as sublime melodies ranging from adagio to allegro accompany her enrapturing theatricality. Thus, Homage to Margot Fonteyn depicts a revitalized sense of environment where music becomes a visually dynamic and lush experience through the act of painting, with both art forms exalting a sensitive awakening to one’s lived experiences. (Adrian Maranan)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Dreams
            Dec. 02, 2023

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Dreams

            Est: ₱8,000,000 - ₱10,400,000

            PROPERTY FROM THE DON VICENTE “TIKING” H. LOPEZ, JR. COLLECTION Dreams signed and dated 1961 (lower left) and titled (verso) oil on canvas 28” x 22” (71 cm x 56 cm) PROVENANCE Acquired directly from the artist WRITE UPOriginal, daring, and above all, steadfast in his commitment to his art, Hernando Ruiz Ocampo at 50 was the most important artist of his generation; and his paintings destined to be as immediate and relevant as when they were first painted decades before. But it was not necessarily pre-ordained by his background. Ramon Villegas would write in his staccato style, “He was born in 1911, in the populous district of Sta. Cruz, Manila. Due to financial problems, the family moved from Gagalangin, Tondo — a petit bourgeois district — to Maypajo, around 1917. Maypajo was already on the city outskirts, located just after the boundary of Manila, in the adjoining municipality of Caloocan, where the Katipunan had deep roots in the lower classes. “Ocampo’s Maypajo, near the crossroads of Monumento and Sangandaan, was famed for one of Manila’s cabarets. There, as his biographer Angel de Jesus says, Ocampo “learned the rough spots of life”. “Ocampo, as a boy, started out shining shoes for the cabaret customers. By the age of 17, he had become the cashier there. The artist would talk of his experiences there, his dalliances with the dancers. H.R. later painted one of those wasted women beside a wilted flower, still at work in the early morning hours. “The family could only afford a high school education for the young Hernando at the Young Man’s Catholic Association (YMCA), Manila. Yet his father Emilio, a local leader of the Nacionalista Party, wanted his son to study law in preparation for a political career. In 1928. following his father’s wishes, Hernando enrolled in the pre-law course in San Juan de Letran, on an athletic scholarship. After a year he left Letran for the Far Eastern University, again staying only a year.” And then his life would take a different turn: After dropping out of law school, H.R. Ocampo would find his way into the company of an avant-garde group of writers — the Veronicans — and from there it was a short skip and jump to the fast and furious world of poets, journalists and most, importantly, artists. In 1951, at age 40, H.R. would found the most influential artists group that the Philippines would ever see, the Neo-Realists. He would also find himself at ground zero of the Philippine Art Gallery, the first-ever to champion the cause of abstract art. In just ten short years, he and his his band of brothers would dominate the Filipino art scene. H.R. himself would receive award after award. But in 1961, H.R. himself was what his biographer de Jesus would call his “Transitional Stage”. While he had gone from one triumph after another, in his deliberate fashion, he was pondering his next move. At this crossroads, his works would move from the flat perspectives of his post-war works towards his “Mutants Period” of the mid-Sixties which were a commentary on the nuclear war and aliens that the world obssesed about. At the tail end of the 1950s, Ocampo joined Philprom (Philippine Promotions Bureau) then the Philippines’ largest advertising agency, where he became a top administrative officer. And with it, Villegas says, pop culture would become more and more visible in his art. The sharp contrasts between light and shadow for example, Villegas would note, was the influence of the photography of Richard Avedon (1923-2004), the mixedmedia works of Andy Warhol (1928-2007), as well as the pop and 60s psychedelic art. Speaking in an interview in 1961, Ocampo “resolved to devote more time to painting again.” Turning 50 that year, the Art Association of the Philippines honored him with a retrospective. It is precisely in this year that we find the work he called “Dreams”, its title penciled in in his own hand at the back of the painting. A purposeful intellectual, H.R. Ocampo had an interest in Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud and art critics had commented on the subconscious aspects of his work and their hidden messages. His use of color and shape, in particular tapped into this world. With ‘Dreams’, Ocampo distills the essence of human hopes and ambitions, portraying them as dynamic energy bursting to be set free from all limits.

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Abstract
            Dec. 02, 2023

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Abstract

            Est: ₱240,000 - ₱312,000

            Abstract signed and dated 1971 (lower left) oil on board 11” x 8 1/2” (28 cm x 22 cm) PROVENANCE: Private collection, Sweden WRITE UPA renowned member of the Thirteen Moderns, Hernando R. Ocampo (also known as H.R. Ocampo) was an influential abstractionist force. H.R. made headlines when he won first prize at the 1951 Art Association of the Philippines (AAP) competition. Ocampo painted with his distinct and famous color scheme, which critic Ricaredo Demetillo described as “rich” with “pure greens, warm reds and oranges, lovely purples and juicy yellows.” This striking color scheme is notable with this untitled 1971 piece. Using deep browns, oranges, green, and teal, Ocampo mesmerizes with his mastery of hues and color shades. (Hannah Valiente)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)
            Oct. 21, 2023

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)

            Est: ₱40,000 - ₱52,000

            a.) Untitled signed and dated 1975 (lower right) pen and ink on paper 12” x 9” (30 cm x 23 cm) b.) Untitled signed and dated 1964 (lower right) graphite on paper 11” x 14” (28 cm x 36 cm)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)
            Oct. 21, 2023

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)

            Est: ₱20,000 - ₱26,000

            Groin handsigned and dated 1970 with dedication to Rod Paras-Perez (lower right) artist proof silkscreen 19” x 14” (48 cm x 36 cm)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Dilemma
            Sep. 09, 2023

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) - Dilemma

            Est: ₱8,000,000 - ₱10,400,000

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) Dilemma signed and dated 1958 (lower right) oil on canvas 24" x 32" (61 cm x 81 cm) The work at hand, Dilemma, falls squarely into the characteristic motifs of the period, the mask and the shield. It is a sinuous allegory of temptation — the twinheaded snakes with a scorpion tale that have already captured three manlike shapes; other men struggle to flee and take refuge in a mountain of reflective, mirrored vanity or arrogant flight. The ‘highly organic composition in fluid, organic forms and scintillating colors’ was achieved, notes art critic Rod Paras-Perez of HR’s inimitable style, “through the use of broken color strokes, juxtaposed very much like the Impressionists.” Always, as in this work with fascinating combinations of shade and hue, H.R. Ocampo would triumph “in no longer attaining a semblance of reality nor the capture of atmospheric effects… but to intensify colors and make them vibrate with feelings.” In this regard, Dilemma captures the brave spirit of a new Filipino generation. Most senior in their respective organizations, we won their deep professional respect simply by having Larry beat the daylights out of them at the poker table. “When martial law came, I became Secretary of the newly created Department of Public Information in addition to being Press Secretary, and Larry became in addition to his old job the Director of the Bureau of National and Foreign Information (BNFI). It was here where he first unleashed his creativity as an information manager.” Lorenzo “Larry” J. Cruz, was none other than the son of E. Aguilar Cruz, journalist, artist and the man who conjured up the name “Neo-Realists” for the abstractionist elite led by his closest friend Hernando R. Ocampo and whose home was the legendary Philippine Art Gallery. Fely would recall that their home and Larry’s would be used interchangeably for artists’ gatherings as well as painting sessions, making alive the promise of the Filipino ‘Young Turks’ in arts and letters. The artists would include not only H.R. Ocampo and Cesar Legaspi but also Jose Joya and Malang Santos, whose wife had put up a gallery of her own. The work at hand, Dilemma, falls squarely into the characteristic motifs of the period, the mask and the shield. It is a sinuous allegory of temptation — the twinheaded snakes with a scorpion tale that have already captured three manlike shapes; other men struggle to flee and take refuge in a mountain of reflective, mirrored vanity or arrogant flight. The ‘highly organic composition in fluid, organic forms and scintillating colors’ was achieved, notes art critic Rod Paras-Perez of HR’s inimitable style, “through the use of broken color strokes, juxtaposed very much like the Impressionists.” Always, as in this work with fascinating combinations of shade and hue, H.R. Ocampo would triumph “in no longer attaining a semblance of reality nor the capture of atmospheric effects… but to intensify colors and make them vibrate with feelings.” In this regard, Dilemma captures the brave spirit of a new Filipino generation.

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)
            Jul. 29, 2023

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)

            Est: ₱50,000 - ₱65,000

            Untitled signed and dated 1997 (lower right) ink on paper 12” x 9” (30 cm x 23 cm)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)
            Jul. 29, 2023

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)

            Est: ₱50,000 - ₱65,000

            PROPERTY FROM THE JENY LOPEZ COLLECTION Untitled signed and dated 1977 (lower right) ink on paper 11 1/2” x 8 1/2” (29 cm x 22 cm)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)
            Jul. 29, 2023

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)

            Est: ₱100,000 - ₱130,000

            Untitled signed and dated 1949 (lower right) watercolor on paper 18” x 24” (46 cm x 61 cm)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)
            Jun. 17, 2023

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)

            Est: ₱300,000 - ₱390,000

            PROPERTY FROM THE DON BENITO LEGARDA JR. COLLECTION Untitled I, II, III signed and dated 1967 (lower right) each oil on paper 10" x 7 1/2" (25 cm x 19 cm) each The acclaimed abstractionist Hernando R. Ocampo was regarded as an artist who used an intellectual approach in his masterpieces. He was able to create novel imagery and symbolism through abstraction after he abandoned his pre-war and post-war figurations. His art is described to be “abstract compositions of biological forms that seemed to oscillate, quiver, inflame and multiply,” like mutations. A remarkable illustration of his revered mode of abstraction is these three pieces dated 1967. Organic symbols find their way into these works of Ocampo, adding to the complexity of the surface meanings of the canvases. However, the said details are more than just ornamental marvels and are considered a personal and substantial reaction to the stimuli and environment that the artist engaged. Still, despite his habit of drawing inspiration from his surroundings, his art is anything but derivative. In Ocampo’s works, colors take the center stage. The ‘60s was the decade when his art shifted from neorealism to abstract non-configurative. His works were characterized by biomorphic shapes colored in hues of green, red, orange, yellow, blue, and brown. His interlocking forms and distinct color palette have given rise to a unique visual language that is notably and completely Ocampo’s. (P.I.R.)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)
            Jun. 17, 2023

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)

            Est: ₱500,000 - ₱650,000

            PROPERTY FROM THE ZITA FELICIANO COLLECTION Second Week of November signed and dated 1975 (lower right and verso) acrylic on board 20" x 15" (51 cm x 38 cm) An icon in abstract expressionism, Hernando R. Ocampo’s artistic approach was purely subjective, inspirational, and emotional at times. He also often underwent a process of cerebral contemplation in the act of creation. An idea, often occurring out of the blue, was drawn more in detail as it developed and those that have grown out of the idea were erased. Then, on blank sheets of paper, the artist played the motifs against each other, tracing the best arrangement on a new paper sheet later. Afterwards, he would transfer the arrangement onto canvas and map every area of color on it. Although his paintings are chromatic rather than tonal, as soon as he painted an area, the original colors and additional colors come in a tonal connection with each other. Ocampo, who created oeuvres that were original and truly Filipino, was indeed special, for he was a self-taught local artist who had never studied abroad and whose exposure to art was only through reading materials. In the words of H.R. Ocampo: The Artist as Filipino author, Angel de Jesus, “The life of H. R. Ocampo has been as colorful as his paintings. It has been a full life, richly lived… The only original talent that the Philippines has produced, he epitomizes in every sense the artist as Filipino.” (P.I.R.)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)
            Feb. 18, 2023

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)

            Est: ₱4,000,000 - ₱5,200,000

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) Evensong signed and dated 1972 (lower right); signed again and titled (verso) oil on canvas 24" x 32" (61 cm x 81 cm) PROVENANCE Acquired directly from the artist In 1972, Hernando R. Ocampo — perhaps the most intellectual of Filipino painters —was at the height of his powers. Two decades earlier he had put together the most important and influential group of abstractionists of the mid-century, who would be dubbed the ‘Neo-Realists.’ Of all of them, however, H.R. would steadfastly refuse to pursue foreign training; but that is not to say that his art was fated to be confined only on Philippine shores. In 1967, he would exhibit eight paintings at the IX Bienal de Sao Paolo in Brazil. Two years later, he would represent the Philippines with three works at the Festival International de la Peinture in France, and in 1970, bring more artworks to hugely popular Expo ’70 in Osaka, Japan. In the same period, he would be commissioned to paint the now world-famous Genesis that would be transformed into the striking tapestry of the Main Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines which opened its doors in 1970. Just two years ago H.R. Ocampo has been recognized as a pioneer of surrealism, and is among the featured artists at the landmark exhibition “Surrealism: Beyond Borders” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The show has since traveled to the Tate Modern in 2022, making Ocampo rather belatedly one of the most exhibited Filipino artists in international museums and therefore the best known. Evensong, named after the church service held at sunset and consisting of canticles and psalms, is a suitably literate title for Ocampo the newspaperman and writer. It is also as he would best describe this season of his work as a musical symphony. The greens of varying shades seem to soar and fly off the canvas, reaching for the skies and a sublime, serene peace and joy

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)
            Feb. 18, 2023

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)

            Est: ₱5,000,000 - ₱6,500,000

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) Festival signed and dated 1978 (lower right); inscribed "Pls. ring me tonight / Reggie" (verso) oil on canvas 30" x 40" (76 cm x 102 cm) PROVENANCE: Private Collection, Manila LITERATURE: De Jesus, Angel G. H.R. Ocampo: The Artist as Filipino. Quezon City: Heritage Publishing, 1979. Illustrated on page 174 with painting description on page 175. According to Hernando R. Ocampo’s biographer, Angel G. de Jesus, in his book on the artist titled H.R. Ocampo: The Artist as Filipino, the eminent modernist “roughly outlines the period of his art into the following: “Aping Amorsolo Period” (1929 – 1934; characterized by the emulation of Amorsolo’s works); “Proletarian Period” (1934 – 1945; characterized by paintings of “poverty-stricken humanity, driftwood of the ebbing tide of war); “Transitional Period” (1945 – 1963; marked Ocampo’s maturation as he transitioned into non-objective painting, the simplification of forms and figures); “Mutants Period” (1963 – 1968; paintings of “symbols of mutants, fantasies on the havoc wrought by nuclear warfare” inspired by the American 1957 sci-fi film The Beginning of the End); and finally the “Visual Melody Period” (1968 – 1978; characterized by “pure painting, something akin to chamber music). This particular piece, titled Festival, belongs to Ocampo’s “Visual Melody Period.” The book Kayamanan: Biographies of Philippine Visual Artists further describes this period where Ocampo “brought back tonalities and organic shapes into his abstract designs, creating a richer form of abstraction.” Seemingly antithetical to the work’s evocative title is Ocampo’s application of a muted monochromatic palette. Albeit known for his vivid and dynamic palette, this work is one of those pieces by Ocampo in which he veers away from his trademark identity as a foremost Filipino colorist. But Ocampo’s use of a monochromatic palette proves that he is a master of the exuberant. Ocampo evokes the gaiety of a festival through his undulating lines and sinuous curves, engendering an animated spectacle of merrymaking. Here, Ocampo’s monochromatic forms engage in a sublime visual dance, a confluence of expressions wrought in natural, uninhibited strokes. One can imagine a harmonious convergence of festival dancers frolicking on the streets, and everyone is in high spirits. It is as if the dancers flow harmoniously—lively, agile, and virtually acrobatic—extolling the praises of their native land. Festival is among Ocampo’s last works, having been painted in 1978, the year of his passing. Two years before his death, Ocampo was bequeathed the highest cultural award, the “Diwa ng Lahi,” by the City of Manila during the 1976 Araw ng Maynila festivities. Ocampo was posthumously conferred the title of National Artist for Visual Arts in 1991. (A.M.)

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 – 1978)
            Jan. 21, 2023

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 – 1978)

            Est: ₱70,000 - ₱91,000

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 – 1978) Abstract signed and dated 1961 (lower right) pentel pen on paper 10” x 8” (25 cm x 20 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by National Museum Philippines confirming the authenticity of this lot

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) Untitled I and II
            Dec. 03, 2022

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) Untitled I and II

            Est: ₱600,000 - ₱780,000

            Untitled I and II signed and dated 1968 (lower right) each oil on wood 11" x 8 1/2" (28 cm x 21 cm) each PROVENANCE Acquired directly from the artist H.R. Ocampo created a visual language that cannot be mistaken for anyone else’s. He showed dynamic elements that might become part of any number of visually logical arrays vigorously sought by a desiring eye, such as how these pieces were presented in a mix of variation of orange and blue where the colors are given harmonic sequences of carefully arranged tones and intensities hence the viewer is left in awe to such masterpiece, a genius abstract discretion. Jonathan L. Beller, in his Nationalism in Scenes and Spaces of H.R. Ocampo, even described Ocampo’s paintings as, “paintings seeking the liberation of vision through the deification of the visible object… If objectivity and objectification are precisely the removal of agency from living beings, the formal decodification of the very process of objectification returns power to the viewer, allowing the eye to dance in a relatively free quest for new orders and meanings as it has a chance to create itself outside of any narrative schema.”

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) Color Study
            Dec. 03, 2022

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) Color Study

            Est: ₱180,000 - ₱234,000

            PROPERTY FROM THE SENATOR LETICIA RAMOS SHAHANI COLLECTION Color Study signed and dated 1956 (lower right) oil on paper 11 1/2" x 9" (29 cm x 23 cm) H.R. Ocampo's emotionally charged abstraction pieces are profound results of his everyday observations of what surrounded him, from Philippine flora and fauna, as well as animals to rain and sunshine. Though despite his habit of drawing inspiration from his surroundings, Ocampo's works are anything but derivative. His assemblage of interlocking shapes and unique color palette has birthed a unique visual language that is characteristically and distinctly his. His art is far from merely decorative masterpieces and are considered personal and substantial reactions to the stimuli and environment that the artist busied himself with.

            Leon Gallery
          • Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)
            Oct. 22, 2022

            Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978)

            Est: ₱80,000 - ₱104,000

            PROPERTY FROM THE ZAFFY LEDESMA COLLECTION Hernando R. Ocampo (1911 - 1978) a) Abstract signed and dated 1977 (lower left) ink on paper 30” x 22 1/4” (76 cm x 56 cm) b) Abstract signed and dated 1976 (lower right) 30” x 22 1/4” (76 cm x 56 cm)

            Leon Gallery
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