Jose Rizal’s sculpture of Josephine Bracken, “Josephine Sleeping,” has been acquired by the National Museum of the Philippines.
The sculpture was previously sold for over P31 million at the Leon Gallery’s Kingly Treasures Auction 2024 to an anonymous bidder.
But according to Lisa Guerrero Nakpil of Leon Gallery, the National Museum invoked its right of first refusal under Republic Act 11333. It matched the bidder’s price tag and plans to make the sculpture a “Christmas gift to the Filipino nation.”
“It was the first time the institution invoked its right of first refusal under the new law which granted it the ability of ‘procurement through public auction.’ Previous to that, government auction rules obliged it to seek the lowest bid, which is the opposite of the mechanism in fine art auctions,” Lisa said in an article.
The sculpture will be displayed at the National Museum of Fine Arts, but no details have been given yet on the final location and date.
During the Kingly Treasures auction, “Josephine Sleeping” had a starting price of P7 million.
The sculpture depicts Josephine with her breast part covered only by her crossed arms and her lower half covered by a blanket while sleeping on what appeared like a classical Roman couch.
The sculpture was created during Rizal’s exile in Dapitan and was personally signed by the hero.
Other notable items in the auction were an Andres Bonifacio bust and the last seal of the Katipunan.
—Carby Basina/MGP, GMA Integrated News
