Manila’s Art Deco Era
Most homes would have a quiet space for prayers too, where religious icons are prominently displayed in altar tables.
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Most homes would have a quiet space for prayers too, where religious icons are prominently displayed in altar tables.
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Set of 3 Art-Deco settee and armchairs-on-inverted-ziggurat-feet.
A Batangas kilo or cabriole leg mesa-altar-(altar-table) in provincial Rococo style.
MANILA Carnival
An Art Deco botica (apothecary) cabinet from Nayong Pilipino.
ART Nouveau frames.
The Fruit Vendors, 1939, Fernando Amorsolo.
Before war reshaped its skyline, pre-war Manila was a confident, forward-looking metropolis embracing the sleek geometric rhythms of Art Deco. Nowhere was this spirit more vibrant than at the annual Manila Carnival, a grand stage where ladies from prominent families resplendent in the fashion of the time — were crowned festival queens.
The art of Maestro Fernando Amorsolo was intertwined with the carnival’s visual history. He once painted the festival’s posters and other promotional materials, while also completing some of his most important works from his Golden Period. That includes The Fruit Vendors from 1939 and Under the Mango Tree from 1937, works that capture his sun-drenched, idyllic vision of Philippine life.
The vibrancy of the carnival and the warmth of Amorsolo’s paintings extended into the well-appointed homes of pre-war Manila. There, one can find stately cabinets and seatings, elegant frames, and luxurious silverware. Most homes would have a quiet space for prayers too, where religious icons are prominently displayed in altar tables.
While that luminous chapter eventually drew to a close, the buoyant spirit of Manila’s Art Deco era endures through these surviving obects. They remain vivid reminders of a city defined by glamour, sophistication and an unwavering belief in its own destiny.
These exceptional historic pieces and fine artworks will be offered at Salcedo Auctions’ upcoming sale on 12 September.
The morning online auction begins at 10 a.m., followed by the live and online afternoon session at 2 p.m.
