Nestor Leynes
Encyclopedia
Nestor Garcia Leynes is a Filipino
hyperrealistic
painter. Leynes is regarded as one of the leaders of the "Magic Realist" movement of the Philippines
.
Nevertheless, Leynes was already taking art lessons in grade school and highschool. He graduated from the Arellano High School and entered the College of Fine Arts of the University of the Philippines
. His studies were cut short in his fourth year by the Japanese invasion of the Philippines
in World War II
. Two days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor
, he married Amalia Alcantara, a childhood neighbor and sweetheart.
Being already married, Leynes never returned to school after the war and thus never graduated. He found work as an illustrator for Ramon Roces Publications. He created illustrations for magazines like Liwayway
and Philippine comics. He was hired as a staff artist for the Philippine Advertising Counsel. Later on, he became the executive vice president for the art department of the J. Romero and Associates Advertising Agency.
Leynes resumed painting full-time after retiring in 1980 at the age of fifty eight.
Fernando Amorsolo
and his younger brother Pablo Amorsolo
.
In 1976, Leynes discovered the works of Andrew Wyeth
, a realist American painter whose works became popular in the Philippines during this period. Along with several other artists like Ger Viterbo, Jr., Joselito Barcelona, Emmanuel Llado, and Jaime Roque they formed a group known as the "Magic Realists", after Wyeth's style. It should be noted that "Magic realism" in the Philippines refers to what would be more accurately known as Hyperrealism
or Photoealism
in the United States. It should not be confused with a separate movement known as Magic realism
.
Leynes' first contribution was his 1977 work Bigas ('Rice', also known as Pitong Gatang). It was widely acclaimed for its attention to detail. Former first lady Imelda Marcos
was so impressed by the work that she brought the entire collection to the Malacañang Palace
for the viewing of her then guest of honor David Rockefeller
. Marcos bought several paintings, while Rockefeller bought two. The painting Bigas was among those looted from the palace during the People Power Revolution of 1986.
Leynes diverged from Wyeth's use of drab colors. Like other Filipino realist painters, he retained Amorsolo's influence, particularly in the use of light. While American realism focused on banality, Leynes and other Filipino realists depict romantic scenes
in hyperrealistic detail.
Leynes' subjects are typically scenes of Philippine rural life, ranging from women sifting rice (like Bigas ni Lorna) to harvest scenes. He is best known for his favorite subject, that of the mother and child. He regularly paints a picture of Christ
every Good Friday
, a part of his panata (penance) during Lent
.
His works were exhibited along with other Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
(BSP) Collection paintings in the 2010 exhibit Sulyap, Yugto, Dalipay: Mementos of Philippine Everyday of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila
.
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
hyperrealistic
Hyperrealism (painting)
Hyperrealism is a genre of painting and sculpture resembling a high-resolution photograph. Hyperrealism is considered an advancement of Photorealism by the methods used to create the resulting paintings or sculptures...
painter. Leynes is regarded as one of the leaders of the "Magic Realist" movement of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Biography
Nestor Garcia Leynes was born in February 26, 1922 in Santa Cruz, Manila. His parents were Ricardo Leynes, a doctor, and Enriqueta Garcia, a registered nurse. He had three brothers and a sister. Leynes' parents owned several paintings, including some by the Filipino master painter Fabián Cueto de la Rosa, a distant relative of the family. Probably influenced by his environment, Leynes already expressed the desire to be an artist from a young age. His parents discouraged this ambition, fearing a life of hardship for him.Nevertheless, Leynes was already taking art lessons in grade school and highschool. He graduated from the Arellano High School and entered the College of Fine Arts of the University of the Philippines
University of the Philippines
The ' is the national university of the Philippines. Founded in 1908 through Act No...
. His studies were cut short in his fourth year by the Japanese invasion of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Two days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, he married Amalia Alcantara, a childhood neighbor and sweetheart.
Being already married, Leynes never returned to school after the war and thus never graduated. He found work as an illustrator for Ramon Roces Publications. He created illustrations for magazines like Liwayway
Liwayway
Liwayway is a leading Tagalog weekly magazine published in the Philippines since 1922. It contains Tagalog serialized novels, short stories, poetry, serialized comics, essays, news features, entertainment news and articles, and many others. In fact, it is the oldest Tagalog magazine in the...
and Philippine comics. He was hired as a staff artist for the Philippine Advertising Counsel. Later on, he became the executive vice president for the art department of the J. Romero and Associates Advertising Agency.
Leynes resumed painting full-time after retiring in 1980 at the age of fifty eight.
Work
Leynes was strongly influenced by his professors during his time at the University of the Philippines. Among them were the Philippine National ArtistNational Artist of the Philippines
A National Artist of the Philippines is a title given to a Filipino who has been given the highest recognition for having made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts...
Fernando Amorsolo
Fernando Amorsolo
Fernando Amorsolo y Cueto is one of the most important artists in the history of painting in the Philippines. Amorsolo was a portraitist and painter of rural Philippine landscapes. He is popularly known for his craftsmanship and mastery in the use of light...
and his younger brother Pablo Amorsolo
Pablo Amorsolo
Pablo Cueto Amorsolo is a Filipino painter. He is the younger brother of the Philippine National Artist Fernando Amorsolo.-Biography:...
.
In 1976, Leynes discovered the works of Andrew Wyeth
Andrew Wyeth
Andrew Newell Wyeth was a visual artist, primarily a realist painter, working predominantly in a regionalist style. He was one of the best-known U.S. artists of the middle 20th century....
, a realist American painter whose works became popular in the Philippines during this period. Along with several other artists like Ger Viterbo, Jr., Joselito Barcelona, Emmanuel Llado, and Jaime Roque they formed a group known as the "Magic Realists", after Wyeth's style. It should be noted that "Magic realism" in the Philippines refers to what would be more accurately known as Hyperrealism
Hyperrealism (painting)
Hyperrealism is a genre of painting and sculpture resembling a high-resolution photograph. Hyperrealism is considered an advancement of Photorealism by the methods used to create the resulting paintings or sculptures...
or Photoealism
Photorealism
Photorealism is the genre of painting based on using the camera and photographs to gather information and then from this information creating a painting that appears photographic...
in the United States. It should not be confused with a separate movement known as Magic realism
Magic realism
Magic realism or magical realism is an aesthetic style or genre of fiction in which magical elements blend with the real world. The story explains these magical elements as real occurrences, presented in a straightforward manner that places the "real" and the "fantastic" in the same stream of...
.
Leynes' first contribution was his 1977 work Bigas ('Rice', also known as Pitong Gatang). It was widely acclaimed for its attention to detail. Former first lady Imelda Marcos
Imelda Marcos
Imelda R. Marcos is a Filipino politician and widow of 10th Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. Upon the ascension of her husband to political power, she held various positions to the government until 1986...
was so impressed by the work that she brought the entire collection to the Malacañang Palace
Malacañang Palace
The Malacañan Palace, commonly known simply as Malacañang, is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the Philippines. Located at 1000 J. P. Laurel Street, San Miguel, Manila, the house was built in 1750 in Spanish Colonial style. It has been the residence of every...
for the viewing of her then guest of honor David Rockefeller
David Rockefeller
David Rockefeller, Sr. is the current patriarch of the Rockefeller family. He is the youngest and only surviving child of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, and the only surviving grandchild of oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller, founder of Standard Oil. His five siblings were...
. Marcos bought several paintings, while Rockefeller bought two. The painting Bigas was among those looted from the palace during the People Power Revolution of 1986.
Leynes diverged from Wyeth's use of drab colors. Like other Filipino realist painters, he retained Amorsolo's influence, particularly in the use of light. While American realism focused on banality, Leynes and other Filipino realists depict romantic scenes
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
in hyperrealistic detail.
Leynes' subjects are typically scenes of Philippine rural life, ranging from women sifting rice (like Bigas ni Lorna) to harvest scenes. He is best known for his favorite subject, that of the mother and child. He regularly paints a picture of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
every Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
, a part of his panata (penance) during Lent
Lent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
.
His works were exhibited along with other Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and commonly abbreviated as BSP is the central bank of the Philippines. It was rechartered on July 3, 1993, pursuant to the provision of the 1987 Philippine Constitution and the New Central Bank Act of 1993...
(BSP) Collection paintings in the 2010 exhibit Sulyap, Yugto, Dalipay: Mementos of Philippine Everyday of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila
Metropolitan Museum of Manila
The Metropolitan Museum of Manila is a museum located within the complex of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas along Roxas Boulevard in Manila, the Philippines...
.
Selected works
- Sacred Heart (1940)
- Peasant Funeral (1948)
- Old Balara (1950)
- Bigas (1977)
- Pandanggo sa Ilaw (1966)
- Paligo sa Batya (1968)
- Carousel (1960)
- Boo Gene (1976)
- Sinelas (1974)
- Mais (1978)
- Caravan (1980)
- Dalampasigan (1986)
- Gintong Butil (1995)