Salvador Cabrera Fishermen Pulling Net, Oil on Canvas, Signed and Dated 1969, 30×60
Viridian Eclection
The Piece
Four fishermen lean into the same pull, bodies angled as one as they haul a heavy net from the water. No single figure takes the lead; the strength of the picture is the shared effort of the whole crew. Arms strain, faces are blurred and shadowed, and the sea dissolves into long, dragged strokes of blue-green and ash.
A heavy ochre sky presses down on the scene and gives it the feel of midday heat. The net is drawn in quick, dark lines, and the palette holds to ochre, slate blue, charcoal, deep red and muted earth tones. The brushwork is loose and direct, built for impact rather than polish.
The scale is what sets this canvas apart. At thirty by sixty inches it gives a working morning the breadth of a frieze, and asks to be taken in from across the room. It is held in a dark-stained wood frame, later, and sympathetic to the period.
History & Provenance
Salvador Cabrera (1929–1986) was a Filipino painter of everyday life whose canvases of fishermen, market vendors, farm families and children circulated widely from the late 1960s to the mid-1980s. He studied art at the College of Fine Arts of the University of the Philippines and made his living across the visual trades, recorded as a book illustrator, billboard painter, cartoonist and art director. His great pleasure was painting genre scenes of Philippine life, which he sold from his studio in Ermita, Manila. His work has appeared at auction at León Gallery in Makati and elsewhere.
This painting is signed and dated lower left, Salvador Cabrera 1969, which places it among his earliest recorded dated works. He is not to be confused with the Filipino painter Benedicto Cabrera, known as BenCab. Salvador Cabrera artist page.
Product Details
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Object | Framed oil painting, Fishermen Pulling Net (descriptive title) |
| Origin | Philippines; Salvador Cabrera (1929–1986), Manila |
| Form | Horizontal panoramic composition, four fishermen hauling a net; 30 × 60 in. |
| Material | Oil on stretched canvas; dark-stained wood frame, later |
| Marks | Signed and dated lower left, Salvador Cabrera 1969 |
| Era | 1969 |
| Condition | Very good vintage condition with age-appropriate wear consistent with a 1969 oil painting. Condition Guaranteed. |
| Availability | One of a Kind — 1 Available |
Why It Belongs in Your Home
A painting this size works as architecture. Over a long console, along a dining room wall or as the anchor of a gallery arrangement, it brings movement and human warmth into the room, and the earthy palette sits easily with wood, linen, leather and plaster. The figures pull together in a way you can feel from the doorway, and the picture rewards a second look every time you pass it.
To care for it, hang it out of direct sun and away from heat sources and humidity. Dust the frame with a soft, dry brush, and leave any cleaning of the painted surface to a conservator.
Every piece is packed with professional-grade materials: multiple foam layers, double-boxing, directional and fragile handling labels. For large furniture we use custom timber crating. We photograph packing before dispatch and can provide images on request.
White-glove delivery is complimentary within 100 miles of Reno, NV. National shipping quotes provided at checkout. All shipments are photographed and documented. Damage claims must be filed with the carrier; we provide all documentation needed to support your claim.
Local pickup is available at Viridian HQ (Reno, NV) with 2–4 days notice. Contact us to arrange. Visit the Eclection on Tuesdays, 10 am to 4 pm.
All antique and vintage items are sold as described and all sales are final. Each listing includes detailed condition notes and photographs so you can make a fully informed decision. We encourage buyers to ask questions — about condition, dimensions, finish, provenance — before purchasing.
Antiques are irreplaceable and one-of-a-kind. Carrier handling is outside our control once a piece has left our facility, and major carriers including FedEx do not insure antiques. We do everything within our power to ensure safe transit, but cannot accept liability for carrier damage. If damage occurs in transit, we will provide full documentation to support your carrier claim.
Have a question? — we're happy to provide additional photos, condition detail, or discuss the piece directly.
