Auction house withdraws selling of Juan Luna's bust at National Museum's request

The decision comes after the National Museum made a request to the bust's owners in consideration of the artwork's history. The museum's director-general, Jeremy Burns, previously sent a letter to Salcedo Auctions chairman and chief specialist Richie Lerma asking to withhold the sale of the bust as it is an important surviving artifact of the destruction of the Battle of Manila in 1945.

"If this is indeed a case where the object is lost public property, then I am sure you agree that it must somehow be recovered by the government through appropriate and hopefully amicable means and that your support and cooperation in such an endeavor would be vital," Burns wrote.

Salcedo Auctions, which specializes in fine arts and collectibles, has reached an agreement with the museum to pull the piece off the market for now. It is estimated to have a value of P550,000 to P600,000.

"We are proud and honored to have played a crucial role in bringing out to the art community the existence of a Philippine treasure, and an important part of our national patrimony," Lerma said in his announcement.

"The decision to withdraw the bust from the auction is done with profound respect and a deep sense of responsibility to preserving and protecting our nation's cultural heritage," he added.

Benlliure, a Spanish sculptor who is known to have fostered a friendship with Luna, molded the bust in Rome in 1884 after being commissioned by the former Consul General of Spain. While it was featured on the cover of Chronicle Magazine in 1967 and was cataloged by the Filipinas Heritage Library, there have been no claims of ownership by the National Museum or any other private or public institution.

Salcedo Auctions said that discussions between the National Museum and the current owners will continue. A final decision will be made after everything has been "fairly considered."

"What is definite at this point is the object’s historical significance as well as its authenticity, arrived at through Salcedo Auctions’ rigid investigation and documentation," the auction house stated.

Benlliure's sculpture will remain on display at Salcedo Auctions Sept. 16 to allow the public and those attending the Well-Appointed Life auction to admire it.