“A prolific member of the pre-war Thirteen Moderns and of the post-war Neo-Realists, Vicente Manansala is respected as one of the most influential artists in the Filipino modern arts sphere, seizing the nation and its characters to shape a vision of Philippine modernism that is strongly anchored on social and folk themes…It is within this climate of change and uncertainty post-war Philippines that Manansala painted Pounding Rice (Lot 8) in 1949, a deeply moving and powerful work celebrating the toils and strengths of the Filipino people as they work the land for food and sustenance, framed by the artist’s depiction of a rich and fertile rural landscape unspoiled by civilisation. Painted with an aura of verisimilitude so distinct from the artist’s well-known ‘transparent cubism’ style of painting, the painting is a rare and early work from Manansala’s oeuvre…The intimate composition of the piece is also reminiscent of El Greco’s vivid and striking subject-portrayal, almost theatrical as the women appear to be staged within the picture plane, an intricate play with light serving to elevate the importance of the painter’s main subjects. Stylised lines used by Manansala exude the energy and vigour imbued in the movement of rice pounding, as the flowing brushwork simultaneously highlights a sense of femininity within the three able-bodied women, rendering them with a quality of elegance and grace amidst their gruelling undertaking.”

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