작품 상세

Unknown hardwood H: 26" (66 cm) L: 14" (36 cm) W: 5" (13 cm) PROVENANCE Ambeth Ocampo Osmundo “Omeng” Esguerra This is a cherub which could have been once an architectural detail that adorned a “retablo” or a church interior. The bulging eyes, the “ensaimada” curls in the hair, and the overall carving style point to the 18th century or earlier. “Retablos” (the decorative structure behind the altar in colonial churches) are the approximation of the grandeur of heaven to the faithful who would face them during religious services. This grandeur is expressed in terms of scale, the splendor of the carvings, and glitter of the gilding. It is a testament of what men—possessed by faith and blessed with skilled hands—can do. “Heaven” without fluttering angels and cherubs are incomplete, thus, their ubiquitous presence in Philippine Catholic art, especially in retablos. In the collecting world, angels are always sought-after, especially early ones. Not only that they are few because they are almost exclusively produced as church pieces, but they can be integrated as a design element in a home without it looking too overtly religious. This piece came from the famous furniture dealer and restorer Osmundo “Omeng” Esguerra.