A portrait of Claudio Bravo as an artist

I’m quite sure it was Tessie Luz who gave me a call and told me about Claudio Bravo, a Chilean artist who was in the Philippines for a visit. Tessie, I soon found out, was gathering women who wanted their portraits done. Since I never had a formal portrait done, I agreed. In fact, I only had a pastel of Mai and myself. Here’s how it happened.

Mai was sick one day when the family had to, as promised, pose for the cover of the Manila Daily Bulletin Magazine. While leaning her body towards me and with her head on my shoulder, a photograph was taken. I loved it and had Caloy Gabuco, upon the recommendation of architect Ogie Periquet, draw that picture. Caloy made Mai wear a Filipina dress like mine, which was a Maria Clara. When Mai’s then fiance Andrea saw it in the living room he said, "When I marry Mai Mai please, may I have it for our apartment?" And that’s exactly what I did three weeks ago. I sent it to Andrea. Though well-packed by UPS, the customs did not release it immediately upon its arrival in Florence. They had to verify that there were no molds, dew and insects in the painting. They didn’t want any harmful insects and mold to contaminate priceless Florentine works of art dating centuries back. That’s how much the authorities protect their great masterpieces. So the portrait and a book I included had to stay in the warehouse in quarantine for two months after they were checked completely as sanitary clean. It’s a relief to know that a hundred years from now, the art pieces in Firenze will survive because of their government’s restrictions. So anyone sending art work to Italy, be prepared for delays in the release for the good of hundreds of awesome art dating back to the 12th century and even earlier!

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But back to Claudio. I sat for two hours a day for a week at the Luz Gallery located in EDSA then. For the sittings I wore a Filipina lavandera’s or washer woman’s dress produced by my mother Lita and her friend Mrs. Villa Brille. It was a superb idea. Claudio had rummaged through my closet and found a dress he liked. The idea he wanted to convey didn’t satisfy his feelings which is why he first drew me with three different expressions in a huge white paper. Not liking the results, he tore the sketch and went on to draw a whole body sketch of his subject. In hindsight, I should have asked him for the first sketches – what a pity! Claudio asked me to let my hair down. He placed me near the windowsill for the natural light and had me sit down the way I like to. And there – fixing my fingers and hand at the right angle, he began his work of art everyday, sans camera. I just sat the same way seven times and the result is a priceless portrait today.

Claudio was then 31 years old and he often thought that he probably began sketching at age six. At 15, he left Chile for Europe, and was already an admirer of Holbein, Durer and Da Vinci. I heard he doesn’t paint portraits anymore and only works on still lifes in New York where he’s based. That’s why all portraits done by Bravo are now priceless pieces.

Even before doing a sketch, Claudio made it a point to talk with his subjects, visited their home, and observed them at parties to know their personalities. He believed that every painting should have a special touch that only that woman could exude. He was quite lavish when it came to praising the Filipino women he had met saying, "They’re fantastic, I like them very much. As women – they’re very feminine, very graceful, and they have such sexy skin."

Here are some of the men and women he drew in 1968. Interesting and attractive, they are accomplished individuals who made a difference in the lives of others, and in Claudio Bravo’s life as well.