Nestor Leynes

Nestor Garcia Leynes, Sr (February 26, 1922 – March 18, 2016) was a Filipino realist painter. Leynes is regarded as one of the leaders of the "Magic Realist" movement of the Philippines. He was born in Santa Cruz, Manila.

Biography

Leynes was born on 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. His studies were cut short in his fourth year by the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in World War II. 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.

Work

Duyan ('Cradle') showing Leynes' favorite subjects - the mother and child.

Leynes was strongly influenced by his professors during his time at the University of the Philippines. Among them were the Philippine National Artist Fernando Amorsolo and his younger brother Pablo Amorsolo.

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. Although not representative of his work, his oil on canvas piece A Peasant's Funeral (1948) is on display at the National Museum of the Philippines.

Selected works

948) Old Balara (1950) Bigas (1977) Pandanggo sa Ilaw (1966) Paligo sa Batya (1968) Carousel (1960) Boo Gene (1976) Sinelas (1974) Mais (2021) Caravan (1980) Dalampasigan (1986) Gintong Butil (1995)