ANASTACIO T. CAEDO....“ MALAKAS AT MAGANDA”

                                                      “ MALAKAS AT MAGANDA”

by   ANASTACIO T. CAEDO. [1907 – 1990]

marble cast.

Sculpture:- 47cm high x 12cm wide.

Base:- 6cm deep x 18.5cm long x 15cm wide.

Signed:- A.T. CAEDO – 1955.

IMPORTANT NOTE.

This sculpture became the trophy of the Philippine Sports Association.

The title “ Malakas at Maganda” is from Philippine Folklore

Malakas and Maganda is about the origin of the native Filipinos.

“ When Bathala (God) was done creating the world, he was bored. He looked down over the earth and sent a bird into the world. The bird was flying around when it heard some sounds and tapping somewhere in the forest. The bird landed and found out that the sound is coming from a huge bamboo. He started pecking on it and pretty soon it split in the middle where a man came out of it. His name was Malakas, which means strong, and he told the bird, "My mate is in the other piece of wood." They got her out and her name was Maganda which means beautiful. The two got on the bird's back and flew away to find some place to live. They went flying around the world, and then finally, the bird saw a land and let the two giants set foot and live on it. When Malakas and Maganda stepped on the land their weight separated the land into islands (Philippines has 7,200 islands). Malakas and Maganda live on and produced millions of children, which came to be the Filipinos.” [from bamboo man.com]

DESCRIPTION OF THE SCULPTURE

This sculpture of “Malakas at Maganda” is a very beautiful Caedo sculpture that has the two naked figures standing together with the male with his arm around the shoulders of the female.

Both have long hair though the female is much longer and falls down her back.

Maganda looks straight ahead and Malakas has his mouth open as if addressing or calling someone, with his right arm raised in a gesture to get someone’s attention.

Both of Magandas arms are to her right side where she is holding a flower, which is clearly seen and the two fingers from her right hand, she seems happy and unconcerned.

 The Sculptor has both Malakas and Maganda either standing in front of or coming through a large plant, the foliage is displayed behind and between the both of them, it comes up above the left knee of Malakas and up the right thigh of Maganda.

The leaves and the fruit from the plant can be clearly seen and one large leaf covers the front of Malakas.

Maganda is uncovered.

They are standing bare footed on the base which seems to be a grassy knoll.

 From the back of the sculpture the large plant can be clearly seen growing up from behind a rock.

Leaves from the plant are pressed up against both people.

The back torso of Malakas at Maganda are both uncovered.

 DISTINGUISHING MARKS

. Around the base of the sculpture, the Sculptor has carved lines into the marble to indicate grass and it can be seen that the couple are standing on a rise.

. There are no marks under the base of the sculpture.

. The signature is between the feet of Malakas and it reads :- A. T. CAEDO

1955

 . the second last toe on the left foot of Malakas, a chisel mark can be seen across the top of the toe, not seen anywhere else. 

Mark E Shellshear.

Art Consultant.

markshellshear@gmail.com

ISABELO L. TAMPINCO ' RECLINING NUDE" .

ISABELO L. TAMPINCO.       ' RECLINING NUDE"

 ISABELO L. TAMPINCO. [ 19^th November 1850 – 30^th January 1933 ]

Title... “ Reclining nude “.. also known as " Seated Nude" .... original title unknown.

Cast marble.

32cm high x 35cm long x 22.5cm wide.

Signed “ I L T MANILA 1922. “

 The maiden in the sculpture sits 26.5cm high on the base which is approximately 2cm high.

Her hair is caught up in a bun at the back of her head and it would seem her head is covered by a scarf or cap that is caught around the bun to hold the bun in place.

Her facial expression is neutral as she gazes off dreamily into the left side distance.

She is seated on a round piece of material that is bunched up in her left hand. Folds of the material can be seen at the back of the sculpture, right side between her right leg and hips.

 She is seated leaning on her right hand and looking to the left.

Her left arm is resting over her left leg and holding onto the bunched up fabric and there seems to be a small group of flowers beside her left thumb, three fingers are holding the fabric and one finger is just pointing down.

Her right hand is over the edge of the base on the left side, the base is sightly raised in this area of the sculpture

Her legs and feet are in in relaxed pose on the right side of the base.

She is nude, her only attire being the scarf around her head.

She is wearing no shoes or jewellery.

The base is not round but in an oval of varying thicknesses, it is approximately 2cm all around the base, except for the area under the right hand where it is approximately3.5cm thick.

Distinguishing marks.

The signature is on the back left of the sculpture and can be seen from the front under the right arm. The signature reads, “ ILT MANILA 1922 “

The fabric she is sitting on goes over the edge of the base at the back of the sculpture and reaches to the bottom.

There are no distinguishing marks on the underside of the sculpture.

 This sculpture can be found in the book pg 100, “ Life and Art of Isabelo Tampinco”. 

Mark E Shellshear.

Art consultant.

markshellshear@gmail.com

TOLENTINO. “ Don Crisostomo." Same sculpture, different signature?

The Collectors Collector.. Same sculpture, different signature?

I want to introduce you today to a very beautiful Tolentino sculpture, “ Don Crisostmo.”

Guillermo E Tolentino is a National Artist of the Philippines so I thought that he was the best one to use as an example of a little controversy that there is regarding many sculptures that have been done by the four most well known classical sculptors, Tampinco, Tolentino, Monti and Caedo.

So first let me describe this beautiful sculpture to you.

GUILLERMO E. TOLENTINO

title “ Don Crisostomo “

cast marble

Sculpture :- 53cm high x 52cm wide x 26cm deep

Base :- 54cm high x 28cm deep x 1.5cm thick.

Signed,.. G E Tolentino.

This is the male head and torso of the character from Jose Rizal's book “ Noli me Tangere “, in the book his full name is Don Crisostmo Ibarra, which Tolentino called “ Don Crisostomo.”

 His face is calm and the eyes are closed a very placid with the slightly tilted to the right and facing down a little.

The hair is clearly defined and swept back over the right side of his head.

The hair is over the top of the right ear and above the left ear and is sculpted to show the waves in his hair.

 The arms and chest are cut off approximately under the chest area, just below the pectoral muscles.

The base is cut to the form of the sculpture in wood, it is 1cm thick and approximately 1cm to 2cm wider than the sculpture.

It is painted black.

The signature is in the center of the back above the base.

The signature reads..... “ Don Crisostomo “

                                         G. E. Tolentino

                                                Manila

                                                  1948

Distinguishing marks.

There are no distinguishing marks under the wooden base.

There are no distinguishing marks on the sculpture, only normal marks from the making of the

sculpture.

IMPORTANT NOTE.

This sculpture is a direct copy of a Tampinco sculpture that was made 63 years earlier.

The Tampinco sculpture was signed in this manner.....

                                                                                “ADONIS”

                                                                          Figura de Tampinco

                                                                               Binondo, Mla.

                                                                                      1885

What does this mean for this sculpture?

I had a long conversation with a gentleman who was a friend of Caedo and he said that this was normal practice between the sculptors who worked with Tampinco and each other.

Tolentino, Monti and Caedo they all had excess to the original Tampincos and copied them in detail and made there own casts and signed them with there own names. That is why we have what seemingly looks to be the same sculptures but with different names.

The gentleman who knew Caedo very well said that every new cast was a new sculpture, different from all the others like it and before it, as they all have there own subtle differences and vagaries.

I have been challenged about a sculpture that looked exactly the same as another, one was signed Tampinco and one was signed Monti, but on close examination there were slight differences.

Once these little differences were pointed out, the person in question could see the subtleness of each piece and could see that examining each carefully, does make a difference and it can easily be seen in this instance that Monti copied in minute detail from the Master, Tampinco.

This gentleman who knew Caedo was adamant that this was normal practice and they all did it and signed the pieces with there own names.

He said their greatest concern was the finish after the casting as this had to be done properly or it could ruin the sculpture.

He also told me that the marble dust that was used in all these sculptures is from Carrara in Italy, that it was imported into the Philippines for this specific purpose.

The controversy of the same sculpture but different names signed on it is explained now.

All these notable sculptors had access to the works of the Master Tampinco and copied his work. Once copied in minute detail they then signed it with there own names.

If they were to have signed them with Tampincos name then they would have been forgeries and fakes, but as they signed them with there own names openly without trying to pass them off as Tampincos, shows their honesty and openness and this practice must have had Tampincos blessing as there is nothing written or known to contradict it.

I do hope this article has been a help to those collectors who have been concerned about what looks like the same sculpture but signed with different names. I have talked about “ buyer beware”, in this case there is an explanation.

If you have any other information about this subject, then please send it to me or if you would like to comment and give your opinion then please contact me and tell me what you think.

Mark E Shellshear.

 Art Consultant.
markshellshear@gmail.com

 " ADONIS" by Tampinco.

" DON CRISOSTOMO" by Tolentino.

The Accumulation of history.

Solomon Saprid.  " TIKBALANG"  

                                                                    " TIKBALANG"                                                                 
                                                                      Solomon Saprid.
                                                                    Watercolor on paper.
                                                                        20 ins x 15 ins
                                                                              1990

The Collectors Collection. 

 We have discussed, documentation, legacy and cataloging of your art collection. Now I would like to discuss the subject of the accumulation of the history of each and every art piece in your collection

I was involved in a discussion with a very eminent art authority and he was talking about the              “ Accumulation of History” of each work of art within a collection.

This eminent gentleman talked about how many collectors seem to loose sight of the continuing need to build added value into their collections, by recording all their knowledge of their collections and continuing to search for evidence to further establish the providence of their paintings. 

He pointed out that this is really an on going need within any collection.

He was very vocal about getting artists to authenticate paintings again, even if there was an earlier authentication of the painting, making sure that the Artist clearly acknowledges the painting as theirs.

I listened to a story of a major collection of an artist held by an institution that was donated by the artist when he was alive. It seems that after he passed away, years later family members of the artist decided to discredit the paintings held by this institution even though the paintings were donated by the Artist. 

Unfortunately the Institution accepted the paintings from the Artist in good faith without getting the artist to authenticate the works donated, believing like all of us do that everyone knows where they came from. 

Time can be cruel. 

Once the family disowned the paintings then the paintings came under question and were seen by many as fakes as they believed that the family would not say this if it was not true.

Relying on family members of past artists to authenticate works, is at its best wrought with difficulties?

So my dear collectors, do not wait until it is to late, please make sure you get all your work authenticated and as I said in my blog on Documentation, no article pertaining to the sale of your painting is to trivial, everything is important and needs to be collected and recorded. Keep everything and if possible get it signed and dated by the artist, photos, sales receipts, Gallery title cards and get the Gallery you purchased it from to sign and date everything.

Your collection is worth the time it will take to do these things to protect it into the future and all I want is that you do not experience what that Institution experienced and that you have protected your self against unforeseen negative circumstances.

I have collectors tell me that they know where everything comes from and they remember it all. That may be true but as we get older we do tend to forget some things or if worse was to happen and we were struck down with illness or death that memory could be lost forever, do not consider the worst scenario but consider what is best for your collection into the future.

Accumulate the history of each work, also write out in your own words how and where you purchased the painting and those people by name who were involved in the sale to you. No piece of information is to be ignored, all you are doing is building a very strong wall of protection for your collection and strong providence for each painting which will refute any questions about your paintings in the future.

I recommend to the truly diligent collectors that they keep a journal of their collection and tell the story of each purchase when you bought it while your memory is clear and exact.

Collectors always remember a hand shake is nice but hard documentation is best.

Get signatures, get dates and get stories about each piece of your art.

The Accumulation of history with your art collection is so very important, remember the saying,         " when to much information about an individual piece of art is not enough."

Happy collecting.

Mark E. Shellshear.
Art Consultant.
markshellshear@gmail.com

                                                                      " SYZYGY "
                                                                    Vaughn Lumibao
                                                  acrylic/coloured pencils on carved wood.
                                                                       36 ins x 24 ins.

Tampinco sculpture " GIRL HOLDING A FLOWER "

DESCRIPTION OF GIRL HOLDING A FLOWER

Sculpture by ISABELO L. TAMPINCO …...[ 1850 – 1933 ]

“ GIRL HOLDING A FLOWER “ …... original title unknown.

Cast marble …... 65cm High x 25cm Base.

Signed... I L T. top of base left side.

Description;-

The maiden herself stands 52cm high on a 14cm high base.

She is dressed in a round necked long sleeved flowing dress, that is in the classical sense as it trails along the ground as she walks.

She has over the top of the dress a square necked bodice, that has straps over the shoulders quite wide on the shoulders which gives her a broad shouldered look.

The bodice is longer in the front than the back and the hem is rounded as if it has cord inside the hem to give that rounded look.

The skirt is heavily draped over the left leg, caught up by the strap of the bag.

The bag itself hangs from two more straps attached to the original strap. The bag is shaped from a narrow top to a wider pointed bottom. The flap matches the bottom of the bag and does seem to have a tassel hanging from it.

The interesting point about the bag is that it is not a shoulder bag but a waist bag, the strap clearly goes around her waist with a clasp/buckle at the front to loosen or tighten the strap.

Her classic facial features have her looking down intensely at the small flower in her hand. It would be interesting to know what she was thinking as she seems far away in thought. 

Her hair is parted down the middle of her head and her hair is very long and in two braids with ribbons tied at the end of each braid. One braid is to her front of her body on the left side over the shoulder down onto her left hip. The other braid hangs down her back from the right shoulder to the centre of her back below the waist.

Her skirt is extremely long and caught up on her left side in the strap above her bag most likely to make it easier to walk, the back of the skirt is dragging along the ground. 

 Both of her shoes are showing below the skirt, the left shoe is clearly seen under the hem of her skirt and the right is partly covered by the skirt. Both shoes are closed toe shoes and flat.

Distinguishing features. 

The signature is below the right foot on top tier of the base.

The folds of the skirt at the back fall down onto the second tier of the base.

The base is made up of three distinct tiers.

There are no distinguishing marks on the underside of the base.

This is a very beautiful Tampinco sculpture and is available for viewing at Galeria de las Islas.

The Gallery team looks forward to seeing you at the Gallery and helping you any way they can with your collection or collecting, they would be most happy to be of service to you.
Contact Galeria de las Islas at,    galeriadelasislas@gmail.com

Happy collecting.

 Mark E Shellshear

Art Consultant.
markshellshear@gmail.com

Collectors Collection :- The cataloguing of works.

Collectors Collection :- The cataloging of works.

                                                                by  Isabelo Tampinco.

                                                                            plaster cast.

As I talked about in my last post, collectors must seriously consider the longevity of their collections and the evolution of their collections.

Most serious collectors want their collections to live on after they have passed on, so they must prepare their collections as if the collection will go on for another one hundred years.

Many great art collectors have the attitude that it is a privilege to be the custodians of a wonderful collection of fine art and that they are keeping it safe for the generations to come.

As I wrote in my last post, two areas we have to consider are Documentation of your collection and Legacy.

This post I want to look at Cataloging your collection, which is quite different from Documentation. I will simply lay out how we would do this if we were engaged to do the Cataloging a collection, it will seem reasonably simply but some areas become more complicated to compile than others.

Building the Catalog

1. NAME OF THE ARTIST.

Each artist in your collection must be listed in alphabetical order.

I know that this seems logical and simple but I have seen cataloging done under dates painted, birth dates of artists and date of acquisition, some things can be simple but often they can be made complicated.

2. HISTORY.

Each painting or art work by the same artist is cataloged to the date of completion, not date of purchase that will be recorded later. If there is no date of completion on the front or back of the painting then go to your documentation to see if it is recorded on the Certificate of Authenticity or the purchase agreement. If this is unavailable then approach the artist if they are alive, if not then search books, gallery catalogs or seek out family members of the artist who have an idea of the year of completion.

3. REFERENCE.

Catalog must contain:-

- photos of the art work

- medium

- size of art work.

- size of frame.

- photo of signature and where it is placed.

- any distinguishing marks on the painting, front and back.

Some of this is repetition as photos of the art work and signatures are also in your Documentation.

4. REFERENCE CARD.

On the back of the art piece a reference card would be attached, it will contain:-

- Catalog number.

- Documentation number.

- Date of completion.

- Date of accusation.

5. CROSS REFERENCE.

The Catalog must cross reference with the Documentation and Legacy easily.

This is necessary in the case of disposing of a piece or the need to validate a piece, all needs to be numbered accordingly so that it can easily come together.

Attention to detail at the beginning certainly saves a lot of work and time when trying later to validate a piece of art.

6. CATALOG FOR DISPERSAL.

What if I decide to sell a painting that has the reference card attached to the back, do I remove it?

No, as it will remain as proof of providence into the future and have a connection back to your collection.

But it would be necessary to take a photo of the card, so the new owner can sign and date it as poof of the sale for you and purchase for him, all part of the Documentation of the work.

At the point of sale you will need to copy all your Documentation and Cataloging, having the copies signed and dated by the new owner, so you can keep a record of the sale and that painting will always have a connection to your collection.

Because a painting is sold and leaves your ownership you need to keep a copy of all records for Providence and to show the Evolution of your collection.

It is very important in your catalog to have records of sold paintings. Some collectors have a separate section for sold paintings and all records are kept up to date. In your Documentation, try to keep an up to date record of the painting if it is sold again or is mentioned in press releases.

The Evolution of your collection is important as it will show how you began and the changes that you made to your collection through acquisitions and disposal of paintings.

Cataloging is done at the time of acquisition where as Documentation and Legacy are upgraded continuously.

This is an overview of the process of Cataloging, a lot of tedious work that will be invaluable to you in the future.

I do hope that this post has been of interest to you and helps you with your collection.

Good collecting.

Mark E Shellshear.
Art Consultant.
markshellshear@gmail.com

                                                               " DON CRISOSTOMO "

                                                                 Guillermo E Tolentino

                                                                cast marble...Manila 1948

                                                                        19ins x 20ins h.