Vlad Bunoan

Photograph of Dr. Jose Rizal’s execution in Luneta, believed to be the largest in existence, part of a rare and very important collection of 104 original albumen prints. Estimated at P2 million to P2.2 million. Handout

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ABS-CBN Lifestyle

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17794283959433 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Photograph of Dr. Jose Rizal’s execution in Luneta, believed to be the largest in existence, part of a rare and very important collection of 104 original albumen prints. Estimated at P2 million to P2.2 million. Handout</div>Salcedo Auctions is set to unveil its second marquee event of the 2026 season on May 28 with a by-invitation vernissage for its Finer Pursuits: Important Philippine Art and Rare Collectibles auction. Scheduled to go on the block on June 6, the sale brings together an exceptional roster of objects spanning categories and centuries — from important Philippine art and fine antiques, to ecclesiastical treasures, ethnographic artifacts, fine jewelry, and coveted timepieces.Timed within the country’s commemoration of Independence month, this edition of Finer Pursuits takes on a particularly resonant tone. “Independence month invites us to reflect not only on the milestones of our history, but also on the objects and artworks that have carried the Filipino story across generations,” said Richie Lerma, chairman and chief specialist of Salcedo Auctions.“This season’s Finer Pursuits sale brings together works that embody memory, identity, and cultural pride — from revolutionary photographs to modern masterpieces — reminding us that collecting can also be an act of preserving nationhood itself.”Running through many of the sale’s highlights are themes of nationhood, memory, and identity — narratives expressed not only through paintings and sculpture, but through archival photographs, personal histories, and cultural artifacts.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1779428955547img1.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>H.R. Ocampo’s gifts to Leonor Orosa Goquingco: Arabesque, dated 1949 (left); 53-A (Madonna and Child), from 1953, estimated at P3,500,000 to P4,500,000, and P6,500,000 to P8,000,000, respectively. Handout</div>Among the most historically significant offerings is a photo album of 104 original 19th century albumen prints, including what is believed to be the largest existing image of Dr. Jose Rizal’s execution in Luneta, along with the iconic group photo of the so-called Hong Kong Junta led by Emilio Aguinaldo. Interspersed with these watershed moments are recordings of people and everyday life in colonial-era Philippines.The sale likewise carries a deeply human story linking two future National Artists. Included in the auction are two paintings by H. R. Ocampo, originally gifted by the artist to Leonor Orosa Goquingco during his romantic pursuit of the pioneering choreographer. Though Goquingco would eventually marry Benjamin Goquingco Sr., she and Ocampo remained lifelong friends, each eventually receiving the distinction of National Artist in their respective fields.“My  mom left the paintings with me. Sabi niya, ‘Use them if there&#x27;s going to be a revival of Filipinescas in the future. Don’t hold on to them. Just sell them to fund the production,’” said Dr. Benjamin Goquinco Jr., son of National Artist Leonor Orosa Goquinco.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1779428917247img2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Oscar Zalameda’s untitled oil on canvas of a European village painted in the 1960s, estimated at P2,000,000 to P2,600,000 (left); Fernando Zóbel’s Gestos XXVI-Anzac, oil on canvas from 1979, estimated at P8,500,000 to P10,000,000. Handout</div>Beyond their artistic importance, the works carry profound symbolic weight. The paintings are being offered in fulfillment of Goquingco’s dying wish: the revival of Filipinesca, her celebrated ballet production. Widely regarded as her magnum opus, Filipinesca transformed folk traditions, history, and native imagery into a triumphant cultural statement at a time when the country was still defining its postcolonial identity.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1779428883770img3.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Rodel Tapaya’s Jumping Over Thorns, dated 2019 estimated at P2,0000 to P2,600,000 (left); Elmer Borlongan’s Untitled (Father and Son), dated 2004, estimated at P2,400,000 to P2,800,000. Handout</div>Also featured in the catalogue are defining samples from post-war artists and the modernists: two iconic paintings by National Artist Fernando Amorsolo completed in 1955 and 1959; an untitled piece by Oscar Zalameda from his New York exhibition; Fernando Zobel’s Gestos XXVI–ANZAC  from 1979; and National Artist Vicente Manansala’s  watercolor depicting market vendors from 1959.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1779429071328img4_.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>A pair of silver altar vases estimated at P430,000 to P480,000 (left); statue of the Virgin Mary with silver adornments, estimated at P1,200,000 to P1,500,000. Handout</div>Complementing these works are important pieces by leading contemporary voices such as Elmer Borlongan, Rodel Tapaya, and Ronald Ventura, artists who continue to raise the flag for their generation through distinctly Filipino visual narratives that resonate both locally and internationally.Other stunning objects from the ecclesiastical section reveal supreme artistry in silver: An ivory Virgin Mary with solid silver clothing and a pair of silver altar palm vases.These are just some of the coveted lots that will go under the hammer in the Finer Pursuits afternoon live and online  auction, which starts at 2PM on June 6, with an online-only morning sale starting at 10am on the same day. View the complete catalogues <a href="https://members.salcedoauctions.com/auction/finer_pursuits_june2026_2pm">here</a>.

Timed with Independence month, Salcedo Auctionbbs highlights Philippine nationhood and identity through rare artworks, archival photographs, and cultural artifacts spanning centuries.

Timed with Independence month, Salcedo Auctionbbs highlights Philippine nationhood and identity through rare artworks, archival photographs, and cultural artifacts spanning centuries.

Rare Rizal-era photos, Amorsolo, Manansala works headline Salcedo Auctions’ June sale

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Rare Rizal-era photos, Amorsolo, Manansala works headline Salcedo Auctions’ June sale

ABS-CBN Lifestyle

Published May 22, 2026 03:56 PM PHT

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