Fernando Cueto Amorsolo

This work is in good condition overall. The canvas has been relined, and is clear and taut. There is some general soft craquelure on the surface, but the paint layers are sound and in good condition. Under ultraviolet light inspection, scattered spots of restoration are indicated around the edges and margins, associated with the minor wear and handling along the area. Scattered areas of restoration are also visible in the background (on the skies, the trees, along the horizon line), and on the bottom half of the picture (the seated figure on the foreground, and on the ground on the lower right), which are not apparent to the naked eye. Framed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

By the 1920s, Fernando Amorsolo had mastered the Filipino genre painting, with its idyllic renditions of country life against the backdrop of the lushness of the landscape. From his academic background, the artist learnt to make meticulous studies of the human form. Amorsolo was an aesthete who hoped to emphasise the finer qualities of his country and people, from the beauty of the natural environment to the natural graces of the common people and the dignity of their life and labour.

Amorsolo's earliest paintings on this subject feature life in the fields. Workers in the Field ostensibly celebrate farming life and the majesty of the sunny Filipino landscape, with their impeccable compositions and voluptuous colours. But perhaps what they really celebrate are the charms of the dalagangs. Amid the row of workers bent down towards the ground in the act of planting rice, the only upright figure is the dalagang Filipina.