Leon Gallery treasure trove

After the rousing success of its three quarterly auctions earlier this year—and racking up a number of records in terms of prices—Leon Gallery will end 2023 with one final auction next Saturday, Dec. 2, during which some jaw-dropping artworks will go under the hammer.According to the renowned gallery’s director, Jaime Ponce de Leon, the most valuable piece to be auctioned off next weekend will be a 1968 oil on canvas painting by Carlos “Botong” Francisco named “Bayanihan.”

At a size of 26 by 34 inches, Ponce de Leon noted how rare a Botong painting of this size is, as most of his works come in extra large mural sizes for which the painter is known for.Bidding for this hard-to-find piece—which its current owners acquired directly from the artist—will start at P14 million (but the auctioneer’s gavel will likely