On March 15, 2025, at 2 p.m., the leading auction house will stage a special, one-off auction: Alfredo and Irene Roces: A Collection of 85 Years of Philippine Art (1934 - 2019).
“A significant part of Mr. and Mrs. Roces’ belongings were kept in storage all these years,” reveals Jaime Ponce de Leon, director of León Gallery. “Finally, sometime last year, Mrs. Roces, who has been residing in Sydney, Australia, with her husband Alfredo since the 1970s, got in touch and explored the possibility of auctioning their things.”
Whether due to León Gallery’s well-established reputation, Jaime’s well-honed yet affable negotiating skills, or both, Mrs. Roces — accompanied by her daughter Grace — eventually entrusted most, if not all, of the valuables that had been kept in storage, a coup that is certainly no mean feat.
Bon vivant and renaissance man
The 92-year-old Alfredo Roces, a scion of the prominent publishing clan that owned the T-V-T, Manila Times, and Daily Mirror newspaper chains — not to mention the Ideal Theater in downtown Manila — is also a bon vivant and renaissance man, dabbling in writing, illustrating, photography and advertising.
He is a co-founder of the Saturday Group, a collective of artists who held regular coffee shop gatherings.
His wife, Irene née Pineda, meanwhile, has a deep interest in Philippine culinary traditions and has contributed to several cookbooks.
This impressive lineage, coupled with the sizable 114 lots up for grabs, including works by H.R. Ocampo, Legaspi, Luz, Ang Kiukok, Joya, and Anita Magsaysay-Ho, is just the type of story — and mystique — that Jaime seeks when conceptualizing and mounting estate sales.
Notable pieces
The auction features notable works from Alfredo Roces, Hernando R. Ocampo, and Florinda Trinidad Ferrer, including Interaction pieces, along with another collaborative Interaction painting by Roces and H.R. Ocampo.
Ocampo’s 1953 piece, Fifty-Three “J”, showcases his remarkable skill in non-objective painting. As one of his two submissions to the Philippine Art Gallery's second anniversary exhibition that year, this outstanding work eventually became part of Roces' esteemed collection. According to Grace Boorman, Roces’ daughter, her father shared a close connection with Ocampo.
Magsaysay-Ho’s rare back-to-back painting, Boy with a Hat and Montalban Landscape, shows the two facets of the foremost Filipina painter. Boy with a Hat is one of Anita’s earliest works, reflecting the strong influence of her mentor, Fernando Amorsolo. Painted in 1934 during her final year at the UP School of Fine Arts, it depicts Anita in her conservative beginnings.
A life in art
Indeed, the life that the Roces couple built together, along the friendships they cultivated along the way, makes for a compelling narrative.
“Alfredo and Irene Roces lived a life deeply intertwined with art, not just as collectors but as active participants in the artworld,” says Jaime, when asked about what makes this sale exceptional.
“This auction isn’t just about selling pieces; it’s a testament to a lifetime spent in the company of creativity, passion, and artistic excellence,” he adds.
The auction Alfredo and Irene Roces: A Collection of 85 Years of Philippine Art will take place on March 15, 2025, 2 p.m., at Eurovilla 1, Rufino corner Legazpi Streets, Legazpi Village, Makati City. The preview week ran from March 8 to 14, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
For further inquiries, email info@leon-gallery.com or contact +632 8856-27-81. To browse the catalog, visit www.leon-gallery.com.
Features Reporter
