Romulo Olazo Sold at Auction Prices

b. 1934 - d. 2015

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            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) -
              Nov. 30, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) -

              Est: ₱2,400,000 - ₱3,120,000

              a.) Untitled #26 signed and dated 1983 (lower left) mixed media on canvas 18" x 24" (46 cm x 61 cm) b.) Untitled #27 signed and dated 1983 (lower left) mixed media on canvas 18" x 24" (46 cm x 61 cm) Each piece is accompanied by a certificate issued by Paseo Gallery confirming the authenticity of this lot PROVENANCE: The Luz Gallery To say that an artist is — might have become trite these days, but Romulo Olazo proved time and time again to be multifaceted. With his works ranging in all sorts of forms and genres – from abstract to figurative, from landscape to nudes to portraits, to his lauded Diaphanous and Permutation series – his works have found themselves in the golden annals of Philippine art history, right at the forefront of the second generation of the modernist movement. These works from 1983, hailing from his Untitled series, echo his iconic Diaphanous series, though more opaque and bolder in their strokes. It is a continuation of the experimentations he employed in the previous series, taking the questions he posed in Diapahanous to a higher dimension and evoking polarizing responses. “The Untitled works are Olazo’s cathartic records of that wrestling convulsion. Some regarded the Untitled works as a betrayal of the Diaphanous. Others viewed them as a resuscitation of a flagging theme,” Cid Reyes writes in Olazo’s monograph. “Still, to some, Olazo was perceived as an artist in transition.”(Hannah Valiente)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Diaphanous Anthuriums #152 (Cat # 25390)
              Nov. 30, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Diaphanous Anthuriums #152 (Cat # 25390)

              Est: ₱3,800,000 - ₱4,940,000

              Diaphanous Anthuriums #152 (Cat # 25390) signed and dated 2013 (bottom) oil on canvas 36” x 36” (91 cm x 91 cm) PROVENANCE | Finale Auctions, Fine Art, Makati City, 18 May 2019, Lot 58. Romulo Olazo © Romuloolazo.com Olazo’s Longest-Sustained Series Diaphanous as his Legacy - A painter and printmaker, Romulo Olazo continued to grace the Philippine art scene with his resplendent masterpieces, especially his highly acclaimed and most coveted Diaphanous series. Painted in the hoariness of his late age of 79, Diaphanous Anthuriums #152 (CAT # 25390) belongs to this illustrious collection and is a potent testament to his unbending artistry and ceaseless artmaking. Olazo’s ingenuity and skilled craftsmanship are evident in his many paintings of fine transparent screens in overlapping layers that result in airy, translucent compositions. The Diaphanous series, crafted with his delicate brushwork, evokes a fleeting sensation and a deep emotional response from his monochromatic palette, thus perfectly embodying the Japanese philosophical concept of “mono no aware”— beauty in transience. Indeed, this 2013 oil on canvas piece impeccably demonstrates Olazo’s consistency and profound understanding of light and space, inviting a heartfelt connection with the viewers. Perhaps age is but a number to the artist, for he kept on making sublime artworks that would be his legacy in his lifetime and beyond. In November 2014, Olazo mounted his last one-man show with a single painting titled Diaphanous B-CCXXXV, the largest in his diaphanous collection, measuring 80 x 240 inches. (Jessica Magno)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - a) Abstract Forms CAT. # 2062 b) Abstract Forms CAT. # 2064
              Nov. 30, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - a) Abstract Forms CAT. # 2062 b) Abstract Forms CAT. # 2064

              Est: ₱400,000 - ₱520,000

              a) Abstract Forms CAT. # 2062 signed and dated 1984 (upper left) tempera 9” x 12” (23 cm x 30 cm) b) Abstract Forms CAT. # 2064 signed and dated 1984 (lower left) tempera 9” x 12” (23 cm x 30 cm)   Each piece is accompanied by a certificate issued by Finale Art File and signed by the artist confirming the authenticity of this lot   Romulo Olazo’s signature abstract and non-objective paintings and prints have been a staple of the second generation of the Philippine modernist movement – his four-decade-long Diaphanous series had been the standard for a long-term sustained study about a single topic. Aside from his Diaphanous, Olazo’s miscellaneous abstractions carry the introspective care his series has. His 1984 Abstract Forms CAT #2062 and Abstract Forms CAT #2064 portray his abstractions’ visual depth and layers. Olazo’s background as a printmaker shines through as the transparency that came from the collographic method of layering and the stencil pattern method lifted from the serigraphic approach created a visual masterpiece. A result of Olazo’s years of experimentation and practice in both printmaking and painting, his abstractions are shining examples of the artist’s legacy and magnificence, cementing Olazo in the annals of Philippine art history. (Hannah Valiente)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (Filipino, 1934-2015) Diaphanous Composition, Signed and dated 6/27/71 lower right, Oil on board, 20" x 16" Framed-22" x 18", Note:This painting is re-offered due to non-payment. Romulo Olazo’s Diaphanous...
              Nov. 23, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (Filipino, 1934-2015) Diaphanous Composition, Signed and dated 6/27/71 lower right, Oil on board, 20" x 16" Framed-22" x 18", Note:This painting is re-offered due to non-payment. Romulo Olazo’s Diaphanous...

              Est: $1,000 - $2,000

              Romulo Olazo (Filipino, 1934-2015) Diaphanous Composition, Signed and dated 6/27/71 lower right, Oil on board, 20" x 16" Framed-22" x 18", Note:This painting is re-offered due to non-payment. Romulo Olazo's Diaphanous series is one of Olazo's most popular series in the history of Philippine art. A great example of a sustained study of one subject matter for a long period. The Diaphanous series has spanned over four decades. The series is now quintessential in understanding and appreciating Olazo's prolific career, with the series alone producing over 25,000 in studies, paintings, sketches, and the like. Born out of years of experimentation and practice, the Diaphanous series, particularly exemplified the quintessential Olazo.The painting is re-offered for auction due to non-payment.

              Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches
            • ROMULO OLAZO (1934-2015). Diaphanous 135. oil on canvas mounted on board 10
              Nov. 09, 2024

              ROMULO OLAZO (1934-2015). Diaphanous 135. oil on canvas mounted on board 10

              Est: $180,000 - $280,000

              ROMULO OLAZO (1934-2015). Diaphanous 135. oil on canvas mounted on board 102.5 x 76.5 cm. (40 3⁄8 x 30 1⁄8 in.).

              Christie's
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)
              Oct. 26, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)

              Est: ₱50,000 - ₱65,000

              Kasuy signed and dated 2010 (bottom) soft pastel on canson paper 26" x 19" (66 cm x 48 cm) Accompanied by a certificate signed by the artist confirming the authenticity of this lot

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)
              Oct. 26, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)

              Est: ₱50,000 - ₱65,000

              Diaphanous signed and dated 2010 (lower right) soft pastel on canson paper 19" x 26" (48 cm x 66 cm) Accompanied by a certificate signed by the artist confirming the authenticity of this lot

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)
              Oct. 26, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)

              Est: ₱12,000 - ₱15,600

              Untitled signed and dated 1975 (lower right) watercolor on paper 11” x 8” (28 cm x 20 cm)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (Filipino, 1934-2015) Diaphanous Composition, Signed and dated 6/27/71 lower right, Oil on board, 20" x 16" Framed-22" x 18", Note: Romulo Olazo’s Diaphanous series is one of Olazo’s most popular series i...
              Sep. 21, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (Filipino, 1934-2015) Diaphanous Composition, Signed and dated 6/27/71 lower right, Oil on board, 20" x 16" Framed-22" x 18", Note: Romulo Olazo’s Diaphanous series is one of Olazo’s most popular series i...

              Est: $1,000 - $2,000

              Romulo Olazo (Filipino, 1934-2015) Diaphanous Composition, Signed and dated 6/27/71 lower right, Oil on board, 20" x 16" Framed-22" x 18", Note: Romulo Olazo's Diaphanous series is one of Olazo's most popular series in the history of Philippine art. A great example of a sustained study of one subject matter for a long period. The Diaphanous series has spanned over four decades. The series is now quintessential in understanding and appreciating Olazo's prolific career, with the series alone producing over 25,000 in studies, paintings, sketches, and the like. Born out of years of experimentation and practice, the Diaphanous series, particularly exemplified the quintessential Olazo.

              Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Kasoy
              Sep. 14, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Kasoy

              Est: ₱60,000 - ₱70,000

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) Signed and dated '10' (2010, lower right) Soft pastel 50.8 x 63.5 cm (20 x 25 in) Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity issued and signed by the artist

              Salcedo Auctions
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Kasuy
              Sep. 14, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Kasuy

              Est: ₱60,000 - ₱70,000

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) Signed and dated '10' (2010, lower middle right) Soft pastel on canson paper 48 x 66 cm (19 x 26 in) Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity issued and signed by the artist

              Salcedo Auctions
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Kasoy
              Sep. 14, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Kasoy

              Est: ₱60,000 - ₱70,000

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) Signed and dated '10' (2010, lower right) Soft pastel on paper 50.8 x 63.5 cm (20 x 25 in) Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity issued and signed by the artist

              Salcedo Auctions
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Diaphanous
              Sep. 14, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Diaphanous

              Est: ₱50,000 - ₱55,000

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) Signed and dated '10' (2010, lower right) Pastel on paper 39 x 49.5 cm (16 x 19 in) Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity issued and signed by the artist

              Salcedo Auctions
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Diaphanous #844
              Sep. 14, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Diaphanous #844

              Est: ₱1,000,000 - ₱1,300,000

              Diaphanous #844 signed and dated 2012 (lower right) oil on canvas 18” x 24” (46 cm x 61 cm) PROVENANCE: Private Collection WRITE UP Romulo Olazo’s Diaphanous series is one of Olazo’s most popular series – and arguably one of the most popular series in the history of Philippine art. A great example of a sustained study of one subject matter for a long period (Diaphanous as a series spanned for over four decades), the series is now quintessential in understanding and appreciating Olazo’s prolific career, with the series alone producing over 25,000 in studies, paintings, sketches, and the like. This 2012 work entitled Diaphanous #884 is among the list of Olazo’s Diaphanous. Created near the end of his series, Diaphanous #884 features the culmination of the four decades Olazo spent on the series, creating an amalgamation of the abstract and the figurative that drew inspiration from his previous job as a printmaker. The translucency that came from the collographic method of layering as well as the stencil pattern method lifted from the serigraphic approach created a visual masterpiece that caught and sustained the attention of many collectors throughout the years. Born out of years of experimentation and practice, the Diaphanous series, particularly exemplified by Diaphanous #884, became the quintessential Olazo. The series in its magnificence both in legacy and beauty cements Olazo in the golden annals of Philippine art history. (Hannah Valiente)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)
              Jul. 27, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)

              Est: ₱45,000 - ₱58,500

              Diaphanous signed and dated 2010 (lower center) soft pastel on canson paper 19" x 25 1/2" (48 cm x 64 cm) Accompanied by a certificate signed by the artist confirming the authenticity of this lot

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)
              Jul. 27, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)

              Est: ₱12,000 - ₱15,600

              Untitled signed and dated 1980 (upper right) watercolor on paper 11 1/2" x 15" (29 cm x 38 cm)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)
              Jul. 27, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)

              Est: ₱45,000 - ₱58,500

              Untitled signed and dated 2010 (lower right) pastel on paper 19" x 25" (48 cm x 64 cm)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)
              Jul. 27, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)

              Est: ₱60,000 - ₱78,000

              Untitled signed and dated 1980 (lower right) pastel on paper 10 1/4" x 13 1/4" (26 cm x 34 cm)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)
              Jul. 27, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)

              Est: ₱45,000 - ₱58,500

              Untitled signed and dated 2009 (lower right) pastel on paper 12 1/4" x 19 1/4" (31 cm x 49 cm)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)
              Jul. 27, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)

              Est: ₱45,000 - ₱58,500

              Kasuy signed and dated 2009 (lower center) soft pastel on paper 9" x 12" (23 cm x 30 cm) Accompanied by a certificate signed by the artist confirming the authenticity of this lot

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)
              Jul. 27, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)

              Est: ₱200,000 - ₱260,000

              Pinwheel signed and dated 1992 (lower left) pen and ink on paper 28 1/4” x 22 1/4” (72 cm x 57 cm)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)
              Jul. 27, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)

              Est: ₱25,000 - ₱32,500

              Nude signed and dated 2008 (lower right) pastel on paper 16 3/4” x 9 1/2” (43 cm x 24 cm)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)
              Jul. 27, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)

              Est: ₱25,000 - ₱32,500

              Woman signed and dated 2007 (lower left) pastel on paper 19” x 12” (48 cm x 30 cm) Accompanied by a certificate signed by the artist confirming the authenticity of this lot

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1921 - 2015) - Diaphanous #959
              Jun. 08, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1921 - 2015) - Diaphanous #959

              Est: ₱1,600,000 - ₱2,080,000

              Diaphanous #959 signed and dated 2013 (lower right) oil on canvas 24" x 24" (61 cm x 61 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by Paseo Gallery confirming the authenticity of this lot PROVENANCE: Private collection, Singapore Romulo Olazo’s 2013 Diaphanous is a testament to the artist’s unparalleled commitment and meditation on a focused theme for a sustained period of time. He started his Diaphanous series in 1974, a series he had returned to time and time again for the next four decades and yielded a staggering amount of 25,000 studies, sketches, and paintings. Amongst that impressive number stands the lot in hand, another Diaphanous in Olazo’s impressive oeuvre. This 2013 work exemplifies Olazo’s mastery of the subject matter. Almost four decades into the series, he knows its intricacies like the back of his hand, yet the work feels as refreshing as it was years ago. A printmaker prior to his foray into painting, Olazo wedded the techniques he had wielded in his previous job to create a truly novel experience. The serigraphic approach of using stenciled patterns paired with the collographic method of layering results in a translucent effect that makes the piece almost three-dimensional and lifelike, a visual masterpiece that has garnered many a collector’s attention. The Diaphanous series, deservedly so, is Olazo’s golden ticket to the annals of Philippine art history, a legacy that lives on until today. (Hannah Valiente)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1921 - 2015) - Diaphanous No. 96
              Jun. 08, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1921 - 2015) - Diaphanous No. 96

              Est: ₱1,200,000 - ₱1,560,000

              Diaphanous No. 96 signed and dated 1976 (lower left) oil on canvas 24 1/2" x 23" (62 cm x 58 cm) PROVENANCE: Private collection, Manila The First Diaphanous in Oil: Olazo’s Luminous Journey from Acrylic to Oil An early work from Romulo Olazo’s Diaphanous Series, Diaphanous 96, with its luminous swathes of blues and subdued greens, stands out as one of the first Diaphanous paintings to be painted in oil rather than acrylic, the medium with which Olazo began his now-iconic and acclaimed series in 1974. (1974 was also when Olazo pursued painting as a full-time profession, shifting from the art of printmaking and advertising) It was in 1976 when Olazo achieved a consummate progression of his young oeuvre from acrylic to oil. This shift in medium came with a likely realization within Olazo that oil possesses more luminosity than acrylic, thus the perfect medium with which Olazo can experiment with and better convey the delicate elegance of light. In this regard, color, texture, and form all dance in an ethereal glow, endowing richer tonalities, a more organic structure, and the sheer illusion of a three-dimensional space. Oil as a medium gave justice to Olazo’s Diaphanous. With this, it became clearer than ever that Olazo had indeed found and arrived at his own light. It is a willful pursuit that goes beyond the medium and crosses a realm of solemnity that gives prominence to one’s dynamic virtuoso. Ma. Victoria Herrera succinctly narrates the origins of Olazo’s Diaphanous paintings in her essay “Romulo Olazo: A Willful Journey in Art,” published in the artist’s 2013 monograph. “The Diaphanous Series of paintings evolved from the graphic processes of serigraphy and collage intaglio that Olazo started to develop in 1972… Olazo experimented by switching pigment types, that is, from the traditional printer’s ink that registered flat and opaque images to the painter’s oil pigments that created translucent layers. This allowed him to achieve effects of light and texture. He then experimented further by cutting old newspapers as stenciled patterns. Pigment is applied with a brush or by a single run of the squeegee to as many as five layers.” (Adrian Maranan)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Untitled
              Jun. 08, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Untitled

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

              Untitled signed and dated 1986 (lower right) acrylic on paper 27 1/2" x 35 3/4" (70 cm x 91 cm) PROVENANCE Private collection, Manila Romulo Olazo's Untitled Series, which he began in the early 1980s, marked a significant evolution in his artistic journey. In 1983, he introduced this groundbreaking series to the public through a solo exhibition titled “New Works” at The Luz Gallery. In Cid Reyes’ monograph on the artist, Patricia Tria Olazo, Romulo Olazo's wife, sheds light on the development of his artistic style, noting, “Olazo’s paintings take on an opaque quality with the use of mixed media, acrylic, and oil on canvas.” The success of Olazo's Diaphanous Series, both locally and internationally, prompted him to seek new artistic horizons with the Untitled works. It is evident in these pieces that Olazo was driven by a desire to avoid creative stagnation and push beyond his comfort zone. Untitled, reflects Olazo's artistic progression. While maintaining the irregular forms characteristic of the Diaphanous Series, Olazo employs a much more bold use of pigments as seen in the overarching use of grey in the work. Such an approach emphasizes the inherent opacity the artist has developed throughout his artistic career. (Jed Daya)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)
              Apr. 20, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)

              Est: ₱60,000 - ₱78,000

              a.) Diaphanous signed and dated 2009 (lower right) soft pastel on paper 9" x 12" (23 cm x 30 cm) b.) Kasuy signed and dated 2009 (lower right) soft pastel on paper 9" x 12" (23 cm x 30 cm) c.) Anthurium signed and dated 2009 (lower right) soft pastel on paper 9" x 12" (23 cm x 30 cm)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)
              Apr. 20, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)

              Est: ₱40,000 - ₱52,000

              Anthurium signed and dated 2010 (lower right) soft pastel on canson paper 19" x 26" (48 cm x 66 cm) Accompanied by a certificate signed by the artist confirming the authenticity of this lot

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)
              Apr. 20, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)

              Est: ₱30,000 - ₱39,000

              Diaphanous signed and dated 2009 (lower right) soft pastel on paper 9" x 12" (23 cm x 30 cm) Accompanied by a certificate signed by the artist confirming the authenticity of this lot

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)
              Apr. 20, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)

              Est: ₱300,000 - ₱390,000

              Dia-Casst #5 signed and dated 1977 (lower right) paper cast relief 48" x 32" (122 cm x 81 cm)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1921 - 2015)
              Apr. 20, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1921 - 2015)

              Est: ₱20,000 - ₱26,000

              Portrait of a Man signed (lower right) charcoal on paper 10 1/4" x 7 1/2" (26 cm x 19 cm)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Permutation Series
              Mar. 09, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Permutation Series

              Est: ₱600,000 - ₱780,000

              Permutation Series signed and dated 1990 (lower right) acrylic on paper 30" x 42" (76 cm x 107 cm) PROVENANCE: Acquired directly from the artist WRITE UP: Romulo Olazo's Permutations Series unveils a vast neutral expanse that serves as an expansive canvas, upon which delicate lines emerge from the void. Olazo's artistic creations consistently maintain a refined and ethereal quality, never losing their filmy elegance. The Permutations Series transcends mere visual art; it envelops the viewer's entire field of vision, effectively blocking out the distractions of the mundane world and transforming the surroundings into an immersive environment. Olazo embarked on this series with the intention of eliciting the enchantment of space and silence through a visually gratifying arrangement of pictorial elements. Though the artist was known for his groundbreaking use of a unique silkscreen process in his Diaphanous series, Olazo surprises admirers by revealing that works belonging to the Permutations series are meticulously hand-drawn. This revelation adds an additional layer of appreciation for the intricacy and dedication present in his works. Throughout his artistic journey, Olazo consistently addresses themes of simplicity, directness, layered elements, spatial development, and a meditative and contemplative atmosphere. These elements remain integral to all his works, creating a harmonious blend of artistic principles. The clarity of form found in the Permutation series is noteworthy, as it neither fully conforms to plastic nor pictorial conventions, showcasing Olazo's mastery over a unique visual language. (Jed Daya)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Mini-Diaphanous #33
              Mar. 09, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Mini-Diaphanous #33

              Est: ₱700,000 - ₱910,000

              PROPERTY FROM THE DON EUGENIO “GENY” LOPEZ JR. COLLECTION Mini-Diaphanous #33 signed and dated 1992 (lower right) oil on canvas 6" x 18" (15 cm x 46 cm) WRITE UP: Romulo Olazo’s magnum opus the Diaphanous Series spanned an impressive four decades – with which he executed his vision, Diaphanous has lived a life that will be marked down in the history of Philippine contemporary art. The series traced its beginnings from Olazo’s printmaking practices, with Olazo’s foray into his career as an artist. For the Diaphanous Series, he echoed the layers evoked in serigraphy and the inking from collagraph. The result is a series of works with layers of gossamer sheets that Victoria T. Herrera described as “veritable visions of light.” Mini-Diaphanous #33, created in 1992, was created almost two decades after the Diaphanous Series started. In those decades, Olazo’s sensitivity and fluency in manipulating colors and spaces has sharpened, and Mini-Diaphanous #33 gives a fresh interpretation to Olazo’s original series. Notably smaller than his usual works, Mini-Diaphanous #33 explores the relationship between light and matter in a tighter enclosed space. Overlapping abstract shapes of varying shades of translucence occupy the canvas, one on top of the other to recompense for the smaller space. The inexhaustibility and timelessness of Olazo’s Diaphanous are continuously proven, with each work as much of a study of light and shadow as the one it preceded. "Olazo has achieved a complete oneness of technique and substance,” writes Rod Paras-Perez and there is no greater proof of that than Olazo’s Diaphanous Series. (Hannah Valiente)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Luntian (Diaphanous Series)
              Mar. 09, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Luntian (Diaphanous Series)

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

              Luntian (Diaphanous Series) signed and dated 1974 (lower right) oil on board 40" x 26" (102 cm x 66 cm) WRITE UP: 1974marked a turning point in Romulo Olazo’s then-burgeoning five-year career as a professional artist (He had just started in 1969 through the art of printmaking, particularly woodcut, although he began much earlier, albeit in the field of advertising, in 1959.). Just two years prior, in 1972, Olazo was among the recipients of the inaugural edition of the Cultural Center of the Philippines Thirteen Artists Award. 1974 also marked Olazo’s transition from advertising to full- time painting; he resigned as executive art director of the Philippine Advertising Counselors, Inc. However, the most important singular event—that watershed moment—in Olazo’s career also happened in 1974: the birth of the Diaphanous Series paintings, signaling Olazo’s artistic coming-of-age. The work at hand, titled Luntian, is one of Olazo’s earliest Diaphanous paintings. It comes from the same year when Olazo produced his first two Diaphanous paintings—the acrylic pieces Takip Silim and Bukang Liwayway, which he exhibited in June 1974 in the group show “Land of the Beautiful” at the Quad Gallery at the old Makati Commercial Center (now the Ayala Center). Olazo’s Diaphanous Series was born from his printmaking practices of serigraphy and collography, which the artist started to explore in the early 1970s when he was still at the Philippine Association of Printmakers. The celebrated art critic Alice Guillermo writes in her essay Romulo Olazo: A Life for Art that “the artist had his own press made and, thus, acquired a more intimate knowledge of the processes and materials.” Deriving from his printmaking techniques, Olazo wedded his serigraphic approach of using painters’ oil pigments in tubes and applying them on stenciled patterns cut out from old newspapers with the collographic practice of layering until embossed images slowly appeared. When put on canvas, Olazo’s unique method resulted in a more translucent effect, delicate textures, airy tonal values, and specters of visual sublimities that exhibit a three-dimensional illusion. In its earlier stages, Olazo titled his Diaphanous paintings by giving them subtitles in parentheses, such as this work at hand’s title, until such time that his wife, Patricia, designed a system in which a serial number composed of letters and Roman/Hindu-Arabic numerals conveniently helped in cataloging Olazo’s myriad works in one particular series. Olazo’s experience and experimentation in printmaking not only helped him seamlessly transition into painting but also propelled him to heights he had never before conquered and eventually established him into the annals of Philippine art history. And now, the Diaphanous Series has become Olazo’s most significant tangible legacy to Philippine art. (Adrian Maranan)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Window Series
              Mar. 09, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Window Series

              Est: ₱700,000 - ₱910,000

              Window Series signed and dated 1981 (lower right) oil on canvas 18" x 18" (46 cm x 46 cm) PROVENANCE: Genluna Gallery WRITE UP: The 1980s have proved to be a fruitful decade for Romulo Olazo. Opening the decade as one of the five finalists of the 1980 Mobil Art Awards – a “first-of-a-kind event” as described by art critic Alice Guillermo – the next year 1981 saw two milestones for Olazo: he held his first oneman show outside of the country in Taipei, Taiwan and he was also named as one of “Five Outstanding Living Artists” by art critics Leonidas Benesa, Rod Paras-Perez, and Emmanuel Torres. It was the same year that he made the lot at hand entitled Window Series. Utilizing a color palette of monochromatic blues, Window Series echoes the overlapping brush strokes of his Diaphanous series. However, it is more opaque than his other works, shedding the transparency that marked his oeuvre and therefore forcing the viewers to look past the ‘window’ and through the streets. Perhaps it is a view of the nightlife of Taipei during his first one-man show or maybe it is from back home – in whatever way, Window Series with its striking technique and harmonious color scheme provides a unique abstraction to an otherwise common sight. (Hannah Valiente)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1921 - 2015)
              Jan. 20, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1921 - 2015)

              Est: ₱40,000 - ₱52,000

              Diaphanous signed and dated 2010 (bottom) soft pastel on canson paper 19" x 26" (48 cm x 66 cm)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1921 - 2015)
              Jan. 20, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1921 - 2015)

              Est: ₱40,000 - ₱52,000

              Anthurium signed and dated 2010 (bottom) soft pastel on canson paper 19" x 26" (48 cm x 66 cm)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1921 - 2015)
              Jan. 20, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1921 - 2015)

              Est: ₱40,000 - ₱52,000

              Anthurium signed and dated 2010 (lower right) soft pastel 20" x 25" (48 cm x 64 cm)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1921 - 2015)
              Jan. 20, 2024

              Romulo Olazo (1921 - 2015)

              Est: ₱35,000 - ₱45,500

              Nude V handsigned and dated 1996 (lower right) print, edition 1/10 26" x 20" (66 cm x 51 cm)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Diaphanous B-XLV
              Dec. 02, 2023

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Diaphanous B-XLV

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

              Diaphanous B-XLV signed and dated 1981 oil on canvas 48” x 60” (122 cm x 152 cm) PROVENANCE: Private collection, USA WRITE UPRomulo Olazo’s art is a mesmerizing fusion of chromatic brilliance and transparency, where he conjures gossamer-like creations with a masterful use of translucent colors and flat shapes. These remarkable effects are born from the inherent qualities of his chosen medium. In the “Diaphanous” series, he seamlessly merges form and color into a delicate, interlocked relationship that exudes a spectral, disembodied quality. What makes this fusion even more intriguing is that, despite the rich, dense, and complex layers of light present in his works, they never lose their underlying austerity. Olazo’s artistic journey began during a pivotal period when the foundations of modernist tradition were being laid by influential figures such as Vicente Manansala, Victorio Edades, H.R. Ocampo, and Fernando Zobel. Initially establishing himself as a printmaker, Olazo introduced groundbreaking innovations in this field. These innovations served as a fertile foundation for the development of his “Diaphanous” series, a unique collection of abstract paintings that are often described as “veritable visions of light.” His works have been compared to dragonfly wings, delicate veils of gossamer, or even a symphony of colors. (Jed Daya)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Diaphanous
              Dec. 02, 2023

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - Diaphanous

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

              Diaphanous signed and dated 1983 (lower right) oil on canvas 34” x 46” (86 cm x 117 cm) PROVENANCE: Private collection, Manila WRITE UPIn this Diaphanous from 1983, the overlapping curvilinear shapes neatly applied to the canvas one layer at a time, produce a delicately intricate blend of subtle gossamer layers. Recalling silk screen printing methods, the irregular curvilinear free form layers are laid on in such ways that their edges criss cross like fine pieces of gauze or webs revolving around a subtly shifting axis. Olazo’s art has a sense of luxury despite its grave monochromatic colors. Each shape possesses a curvilinear sensuousness, as light shimmers through veil upon veil of illusionist space. Colors are restrained to cool monochromes. The artist approaches color as an objective phenomenon, although he does not exclude nor negate the subjective dimension, for such a subtle art may be expressive of highly nuanced state of feeling.

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - a) Nude III b) Nude
              Dec. 02, 2023

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015) - a) Nude III b) Nude

              Est: ₱120,000 - ₱156,000

              a) Nude III signed and dated 1986 (lower right) charcoal on paper 25” x 18 1/2” (64 cm x 47 cm) b) Nude signed and dated 1985 (lower right) charcoal on paper 25” x 18 1/2” (64 cm x 47 cm) PROVENANCE Galleria Duemila WRITE UP “His nudes are among the most sincere and honest representations of the human body by an artist.” This is what art critic Alice Guillermo wrote about Romulo Olazo’s nude sketches. Born in 1934, Olazo was able to enroll himself in the University of Santo Tomas’ department of Fine Arts in 1959 and, as luck would have it, found himself in the midst of the rising modernist movement. He had talents like Victorio Edades and Diosdado Lorenzo as professors and upcoming talents like Ang Kiukok and Angelito Antonio, to name a few, as contemporaries. In these sketches, Olazo’s mastery in anatomy is displayed. The years prior to the release of this work saw Olazo holding multiple shows – with a notable exhibit entitled NUDE in 1980, featuring esteemed artists Vicente Manansala, Agustin Goy, and Ephraim Samson. (Hannah Valiente)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934-2015)
              Oct. 21, 2023

              Romulo Olazo (1934-2015)

              Est: ₱30,000 - ₱39,000

              Untitled signed and dated 1976 (lower left) charcoal on paper 15” x 15” (38 cm x 38 cm)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934-2015)
              Oct. 21, 2023

              Romulo Olazo (1934-2015)

              Est: ₱20,000 - ₱26,000

              Nude signed and dated 1981 (lower right) pastel on paper 20 1/2” x 14 1/4” (52 cm x 36 cm)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934-2015)
              Oct. 21, 2023

              Romulo Olazo (1934-2015)

              Est: ₱10,000 - ₱13,000

              Untitled signed and dated 1975 (lower right) watercolor on paper 11” x 8” (28 cm x 20 cm)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934-2015)
              Oct. 21, 2023

              Romulo Olazo (1934-2015)

              Est: ₱20,000 - ₱26,000

              Nude signed and dated 1978 (lower right) charcoal on paper 20 1/2” x 13 3/4” (52 cm x 35 cm)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1921 - 2015)
              Oct. 21, 2023

              Romulo Olazo (1921 - 2015)

              Est: ₱50,000 - ₱65,000

              Kasoy signed and dated 2010 (lower right) soft pastel on paper 20” x 25 (51 cm x 64 cm)

              Leon Gallery
            • Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)
              Oct. 21, 2023

              Romulo Olazo (1934 - 2015)

              Est: ₱50,000 - ₱65,000

              Anthurium signed and dated 2010 (lower right) soft pastel 19” x 25” (48 cm x 64 cm)

              Leon Gallery
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