Category Archives: Museums

Old Senate Session Hall (National Museum of Fine Arts, Manila)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

Old Senate Session Hall

The historic Old Senate Session Hall, considered the core of the then Legislative Building (now the National Museum of Fine Arts), was home to members of the Philippine Senate from 1926 to 1996.  It had been a silent witness to history as senators, from various eras, debated and charted the future of the Philippines, from the country’s growing clamor for full independence from the United States in the 1930s to its rejection of a new US bases treaty in 1992. Directly below the Senate Session Hall is another hall once used by members of Congress. It has since been converted to a gallery displaying Juan Luna’s “Spoliarium.”

Check out “Old Legislative Building,” “National Museum of Fine Arts” and “Spoliarium Hall”

Ceiling and entablature with garlands and relief sculptures

The old Senate Session Hall was designed by American architect Ralph Harrington Doane (part of the team of architect and urban planner Daniel Burnham and a consultant to the Bureau of Public Works, a precursor of the Department of Public Works and Highways) as a high-ceiling reading room. Heavily damaged during the American liberation of Manila in 1945, the Legislative Building was in near ruins but, for some reason, the Session Hall remained intact, with only its intricately carved hardwood ceiling blown off.

Plaque installed by National Historical Institute

When the newly independent postwar government worked on rebuilding the structure, it was able to restore much of the Session Hall to its original state.

Bust of Manuel L. Quezon

Here, then Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and his allies in the opposition delivered privilege speeches during the run-up to martial law in 1972.  When martial law was declared, it was closed and later turned into one of the National Museum’s galleries during the remainder of the Marcos years. During the Marcos era, the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City housed the parliament.

When democracy was restored after the People Power Revolution in 1986, the Senate and Congress returned to their old homes in the Legislative Building. In 1996, after the Senate moved to its new home at the GSIS Building in Pasay City, the old Session Hall was closed again.

In April 2010, work on the Session Hall’s (Php20 million) two-year restoration started, with funding coming from 2011 National Museum endowment fund (Php6 million) of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR), and Php14 million from the museum’s 2012 budget. They also tapped the expertise of the museum’s four heritage architects led by Evelyn Esguerra.

During the in-house restoration project, the National Museum’s Jeremy Barns (director) and Ana Labrador (assistant director) pored over old pictures in their attempt to produce a newly restored Session Hall that’s as close as possible to the original. Its prewar look became the peg of the restoration work. Barns and Labrador chose the 1930s, because it was during this period that the country’s independence movement started to intensify.

Relief Sculptures by Isabelo Tampinco

However, in the absence of detailed pictures of the original, they left the venue’s less ornate postwar ceiling intact. Workers searched in vain for murals (painted by architect Juan M. Arellano), between the overhead concrete fretwork, that might be hidden underneath layers of old paint. In the end, the pair decided to simply give both the ceiling and spaces between the statues a fresh coat of the standard, rich color paint for nearly all public buildings during the Philippine Commonwealth period paint (which Barns described as a “Bureau of Public Works cream”).

Relief sculptures by Isabelo Tampinco

The already structurally unsound wooden parquet flooring on the first level, not part of the Session Hall’s original design, was also removed.  In keeping with the Session Hall’s original look, they decided to go for vibrant red floors (sealed with epoxy) and baseboards. A series of damaged concrete balustrades that bore the weight of a wooden floor that bisected the 15 m. high Session Hall was replaced with faithful reproductions crafted by House of Precast.  The team also replaced the venue’s lighting system and had a more modern, energy-efficient air-con system installed.

Filipino Struggles Through History by Carlos “Botong” V. Francisco

Windows that were permanently locked from the outside (because of a concrete barrier) were replaced and opened up. Workers also had to fashion, upon Barns’ instructions, a French-type window that leads to an outdoor veranda. On October 29, 2012, during a celebration of the museum’s 111th anniversary, the refurbished hall was opened.

Filipino Struggles Through History by Carlos “Botong” V. Francisco

Currently a venue for events that are of national importance, the Old Senate Session Hall features modern and contemporary Philippine art from the 20th to the 21st centuries. All the ornamentation and decoration in this Hall were done by leading Filipino prewar sculptor Isabelo Tampinco who created these figures with the help of his sons, Angel and Vidal, who inherited their father’s artistry and skills.

Filipino Struggles Through History by Carlos “Botong” V. Francisco

These exceptional, restored masterpieces make up an entablature of garlands and Filipinized, classical relief sculptures of great lawmakers, moralists, philosophers and various historical figures in history, from Biblical times to the 20th century, such as Apolinario Mabini, Pope Leo XIII, Woodrow Wilson, Moses, Hammurabi, Ramses the Great, and Charlemagne.

Filipino Struggles Through History by Carlos “Botong” V. Francisco

This hall also features seven of the ten panels of “Filipino Struggles Through History” (also known as “History of Manila”), the monumental series of paintings by National Artist Carlos “Botong” V. Francisco (1912-1969) commissioned in 1968 for the Manila City Hall by Mayor  Antonio J. Villegas.  The last three panels, depicting Mayor Antonio J. Villegas‘ vision for the city of Manila, are exhibited at Gallery XIII, within the same museum’s Vicente and Carmen Fabella Hall.

Check out “Gallery XIII”

Commemorative plaque of the “Filipino Struggles Through History,” by Carlos “Botong” V. Francisco, being declared as a National Cultural Treasure

The artwork was declared as a National Cultural Treasure by then National Museum director Gabriel S. Casal on April 8, 1996. They collectively measure 2.7 m. (8.9 ft.) high and 79.4 m. (260 ft.) wide.

National Museum of Fine Arts: Padre Burgos Avenue, Ermita, Manila 1000, Metro Manila. Tel: (632) 8527-1215 and (632) 8298-1100.  Email: inquiry@nationalmuseum.gov.ph.  Website: nationalmuseum.gov.ph.  Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 9 AM – 4PM. Admission is free.  Coordinates: 14°35′13″N 120°58′52″E.

Gallery XXII (National Museum of Fine Arts, Manila)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

Gallery XXII (International Rice Research Institute Hall)

Gallery XXII, a permanent exhibit at the third floor of the National Museum of Fine Arts (NMFA), features two large-scale paintings by National Artist Vicente S. Manansala (1910-1981) from the collection of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

Check out “National Museum of Fine Arts”

Gallery entrance

These paintings were commissioned by the institute to depict Filipino life, labor, and leisure, and were completed in 1962. Initially, they were put on display on the walls of the dining hall and cafeteria of the IRRI headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna.

The two Manansala murals

Through a partnership between IRRI and the National Museum of the Philippines, and to protect and preserve the masterpieces, the paintings were transferred to the IRRI Hall, an art exhibition of the  National Museum of the Philippines in the historic Legislative Building. The two large paintings were elevated from Important Cultural Properties, to National Cultural Treasures (the first Manansalas to gain such status), on May 14, 2015.  That same day, an official heritage marker announcing the recognition was installed by the National Museum of the Philippines and the IRRI Hall opened for public viewing.

Check out “Old Legislative Building”

The figures are rendered in trademark Manansala, with overlapping transparent polygonal cells that play up the two-dimensionality of the painting.

They are some of the most important examples of his work exploring his technique on transparent cubism in which, instead of breaking down the picture plane, Manansala devised figurative angular forms that uses, as reference, layered colors of stained glass windows, as well as the translucence of capiz shell windows and piña fabrics.

Watercolor studies

 

The two Manansala murals are a lighthearted narration of Filipino rural life. One is a joyful, pastel-colored medley of labor.  Flanking the two sides are scenes of fishing and rice-planting while, at the center, as focal point, is a woman bathing a child.

Kalabaw (Vicente S. Manasala, 1979, watercolor on paper)

The second painting, a spectacle of small-town festivities, depicts a game of sipa, the national sport, on the left while, on the right, are two men competing in a carabao race. The stretch of canvas is lined with a crowd of people watching two roosters in a midair cockfight.

Study of a Family Praying Before a Meal (Vicente S. Manansala, 1960, watercolor on paper)

Also on display are studies in watercolor for this series, which Manansala made for the IRRI commission, where his technique is perceptible.

Study for IRRI (1) (Vicente S. Manansala, ca. 1962, watercolor on paper)

Study for IRRI (2) (Vicente S. Manansala, ca. 1962, watercolor on paper)

Also featured in this gallery is “Philippine Folklore,” a large-scale, 1,536 cm. (50 ft.) long narra wood relief by renowned sculptor Jose P. Alcantara (1911-2005), Manansala’s childhood friend, from the Philam Life Collection which previously adorned the wall of the then newly constructed, 780-seat Philam Life Theater at United Nations Ave. in Ermita, Manila.

Jose Alcantara’s “Philippine Folklore” narra wood relief

It was made with the aid of his 4 sons and wood carvers from Paete.  It is composed of many wood panels, with gaps built together.

Women pounding rice while a guitarist serenades them

This is the second installation of his monumental work at the NMFA. Another, across the 1953 four-panel painting “The Progress of Medicine in the Philippines” by National Artist Carlos V. “Botong” Francisco (1912-1969) loaned from the Philippine General Hospital in 2012, was installed last March 14, 2019 at Gallery XVI.

Check out “Gallery XVI”  and “Gallery XXIV”

Women harvesting the rice crop

It shows a continuous scene where Christians and Muslims are doing their own festivities while staying connected to each other. Four of the smaller, decorative narra wood reliefs, of rural life and folklore, are installed in Gallery XXIV.

A farmer plowing the field with a carabao

Both the IRRI murals and these Philam Life reliefs bear the themes of rice cultivation and the culture that surrounds it, including rituals, festivals and belief systems.

A northern Cordillera harvest festival

Gallery XXII: International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Hall, 3/F, National Museum of Fine Arts (NMFA), Padre Burgos Avenue, Ermita, Manila 1000, Metro Manila. Tel: (632) 8527-1215 and (632) 8298-1100.  Email: inquiry@nationalmuseum.gov.ph.  Website: nationalmuseum.gov.ph.  Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 9 AM – 4PM. Admission is free.  Coordinates: 14°35′13″N 120°58′52″E.

Visitors shall be limited to 100 per museum per session. Visitors are required to pre-book online at https://reservation.nationalmuseum.gov at least a day before the visit. Confirmation of booking will be sent through email. Group reservations are limited to five (5) persons only.  Walk-in visitors will NOT be accommodated.

Spoliarium Hall (National Museum of Fine Arts, Manila)

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

Spoliarium Hall

When you enter the National Museum of Fine Arts, from Padre Burgos Ave., the first exhibit, at Level Two, you’ll see is the Spoliarium Hall.  Guarding its entrance is the reinforced concrete, 2.9 x 1.2 m. winged statue Diwata (a gift from the heirs of Hermogenes Reyes and Teodora Tantoco Reyes), sculpted by National Artist for Sculpture Guillermo Tolentino sometime in the 1950s.

Check out “National Museum of Fine Arts”

Diwata (Guillermo Tolentino)

The Spoliarium Hall was formerly the House of Representatives Session Hall, site of the 1934 Constitutional Convention.  It is home to Filipino painter Juan Luna’s Spoliarium.  The largest painting in the Philippines, it measures 4.22 m. high and 7.675 m. wide.

Working on canvas and upon the instigation of Francisco de Paula Redoreda, it took Juan Luna eight months to paint this enormous and massive multi-figure mural which was rendered in frenzied fin de siecle brushstrokes. In 1884, this renowned painting was awarded, by the elitist Salon des Beaux Arts,  the first gold medal (grande prix), out of three, at the Exposición Nacional de Bellas Artes in Madrid.

Spoliarium (1884, oil on canvas) of Juan Luna

It depicts a despoiling scene in a Roman circus where dead gladiators, being mourned by relatives, are stripped of weapons and garments. Jose Rizal identified it as an allusion to the exploitation of the country by Spain.  This art achievement underscored the ability of Filipinos to compete with Europeans at their backcourt.  It was also a subtle affirmation of the Filipino’s capability to run affairs back home.

The author

In April 1884, together with other works of the Spanish Academy, the Spoliarium was on exhibit in Rome. In 1885, after being exhibited in Rome, Madrid and Paris, the painting was sold to the provincial government of Barcelona (Diputación Provincial de Barcelona) for 20,000 pesetas.

Detail

In 1887, it was transferred to the Museo del Arte Moderno in Barcelona where it was in storage until, in 1937, the museum was burned and looted during the Spanish Civil War. Under orders of Generalissimo Francisco Franco, the damaged painting was sent to Madrid for restoration, where it stayed for 18 years. In the 1950s, calls for the painting’s transfer to Manila by Filipinos and sympathetic Spaniards, led to Gen. Franco’s orders to finish the painting’s restoration and eventual donation to the Philippines.

Dying gladiators being dragged away

After the restoration work was completed in late 1957, the painting was broken up into three pieces because of its size, with each piece going into its own shipping crate. In January 1958, the painting was turned over to Ambassador Manuel Nieto, Sr. as a gift from the government of Spain.

Mourning relatives of gladiators

The painting was mounted on a wooden frame at the then Department of Foreign Affairs building (as of June 2020, currently the Department of Justice building) along Padre Faura Street.  Carlos da Silva, as head of the Juan Luna Centennial Commission, chose artist Antonio Dumlao to perform relining and cleaning of the painting. Carlos da Silva did the mounting, framing and architectural work. In December 1962, the newly restored Spoliarium was then unveiled in the Hall of Flags of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Jandy

In 1982, the painting was cleaned by Suzanno “Jun” Gonzalez and, in 2005, another restoration was made by Art Restoration and Conservations Specialists Inc., headed by painter June Poticar Dalisay.

Across it is the equally violent The Assassination of Governor Bustamante and His Son (El asesinato del Gobernador Bustamante), the most extensive work by another Filipino 19th century master painter, Félix Resureccion-Hidalgo (February 21, 1855-March 13, 1913), Luna’s contemporary and friend, who won the silver medal for his Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas Al Populacho at the same Exposición Nacional de Bellas Artes in Madrid.  Circa 1853, it is also known under the more controversial title La Iglesia contra el estado (The Church against the State).

The 412 cm. (13.5 ft.) high and 338 cm. (11 ft.) wide oil on canvas painting, commissioned by Don Antonio Ma. Regidor (who never took hold of it), a Filipino nationalist, shows 18th century halberds (the 19th century halberds may have become more elaborate compared to those featured in this historical painting of the event that took place in 1719) being used by the Alaberderos (a special unit of bodyguards) belatedly coming to the rescue of the fallen Governor-General Fernando Manuel de Bustillo Bustamante.

The Assassination of Gov.Bustamante(Felix Resureccion-Hida (4)

In 1905, this painting was first exhibited at the St. Louis Exposition in the United States of America where it won a gold medal. The painting remained in Barcelona until 1914 when the painting was brought back to the Philippines by one of Regidor’s relatives. In 1965, the painting came into the possession of Mr. Manuel Lazatin Garcia and, in 1971, it was transferred to the residence of architect Leandro Locsin for safekeeping.  In 1974, in time for the celebration of Museum Week, the painting was unveiled at the National Museum.

Both paintings were declared as National Cultural Treasures.   Perpendicular to these two iconic paintings is the Arthur Walsh Fergusson Monument and the Battle of Mactan by Elmer Borlongan.  The former, the grandest and only monument in the Philippines dedicated in honor of an American bureaucrat, was completed in Madrid and Barcelona in 1912 by the eminent Spanish sculptor Mariano Benlliure (1862-1947) and was formally inaugurated in Manila on November 15, 1913.

Known for his Neo-Classic public monuments in Madrid and elsewhere, Benlliure, and his brother Jose, were classmates (from 1881 to 1884) of Filipino artists Juan Luna, Félix Resurreccion-Hidalgo and Miguel Zaragoza at the Spanish Academy in Rome.

Arthur Walsh Fergusson Monument

Fergusson, a Spanish-speaking colonial bureaucrat, served as secretary of the First Philippine Commission and later as secretary to a succession of governors-general from 1901 until he died from cardiac arrest in 1908. This bronze monument, on a Carrara marble plinth monument, was originally located in a small plaza (then known as Plaza Fergusson) fronting Ermita Church.

The monument was  replaced by a bronze representation of the Virgin of Ermita, by the late Eduardo Castrillo, and the name of the plaza was changed to Plaza del Nuestra Señora de Guia (later renamed Plaza Guerrero to honor the Filipino poet Fernando Ma. Guerrero). The Fergusson Monument was given to the US Embassy who loaned it to the National Museum of the Philippines for preservation and access to the public.

The large-scale (2.4 x 4.8 m.) Battle of Mactan” was painted by contemporary visual artist Elmer “Emong” Borlongan (who used predominantly red and blue pigments for this artwork) in 2021 to mark the 500th Anniversary of Ferdinand Magellan’s circumnavigation of the world and arrival in the Philippines.

The Battle of Mactan (Elmer Borlongan, 2021, acrylic on canvas)

Also on display are two halberds, the only examples of their kind known to exist in the country.  Officially used in the service of the Governor and Captain General between 1874 and 1898, they were taken as souvenirs by American troops and brought to the US, eventually entering the collection of Parkin Archaeological State Park (Arkansas) who, in 2016, donated them  to the National Museum of the Philippines. 

One of the two halberds of the Guard of the Captain General (1)

Spoliarium Hall: 2/F, National Museum of Fine Arts (NMFA), Padre Burgos Avenue, Ermita, Manila 1000, Metro Manila. Tel: (632) 8527-1215 and (632) 8298-1100.  Email: inquiry@nationalmuseum.gov.ph.  Website: nationalmuseum.gov.ph.  Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 9 AM – 4PM. Admission is free.  Coordinates: 14°35′13″N 120°58′52″E.

Gallery XXIV (National Museum of Fine Arts, Manila)

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

Gallery XXIV (Philam Life Hall)

Gallery XXIV, a permanent exhibit at the third floor of the National Museum of Fine Arts,  features the works of National Artist for Visual Arts (1982) and cubist painter Vicente R. Manansala (1910-1981) and renowned sculptor Jose P. Alcantara (1911-2005) installed at the Philippine-American General Life Insurance Company (Philam Life) Building (designed by National Artist for Architecture Carlos Arguelles) along United Nations Avenue, Ermita, Manila.

Check out “National Museum of Fine Arts”

Gallery entrance

The PhilAm Life Manansala Series consists of seven large format paintings (each measuring 1.2 x 2.4 m.) commissioned in 1961 and initially installed in the cafeteria but were, eventually, transferred to its main lobby.

PhilAm Life Manansala Series

Narra Wood Reliefs (Jose Alcantara, 1961)

The building was acquired by commercial developer SMDC in 2012 and the Philam Foundation placed the Manansala murals in the care of the National Museum in 2013, providing a PPhP5 million grant to fund, among other things, a Philam gallery to showcase the murals.  The exhibit was opened on April 3, 2014.

Ang Pamilya sa Oras ng Pagkain (A Family at Mealtime)

Mga Isda (Fishes)

They feature rural themes and local industries during the time of its creation – Mga Manok (Chickens), Mga Magsasaka (Farmers), Ang Pamilya sa Oras ng Pagkain (A Family at Mealtime), Mga Manunugtog (Musicians), Handaan (Feast), Mga Isda (Fishes) and Mga Kalabaw (Carabaos).  These were rendered in the artist’s signature style of “transparent cubism.”

Handaan (Feast)

Mga Kalabaw (Carabaos)

The Jose Alcantara series, made with the help of several hired and trained woodcarvers from Paete (Laguna), features four of the smaller decorative, carved narra wood reliefs of rural life and folklore, which were originally installed at the outside walls of the 780-seat Philam Life Auditorium in 1961.

Mga Magsasaka (Farmers)

Mga Manok (Chickens)

Mga Manunugtog (Musicians)

The series consists of Malakas at Maganda (The First Man and Woman), Mga Kalabaw (Carabaos), Mga Panugtog (Musical Instruments) and Mariang Makiling (The Guardian Spirit of Mount Makiling).  On July 2019, the gallery was closed to give way for the installation of these four reliefs.

Malakas at Maganda (The First Man and Woman)

Mariang Makiling (The Guardian Spirit of Mount Makiling)

Both the PhilAm Life Manansala and Jose Alcantara Series were declared as an “Important Cultural Property” by the National Museum of the Philippines on June 27, 2019.

Mga Panugtog (Musical Instruments)

Mga Kalabaw (Carabaos)

Gallery XXIV: Philam Life Hall, 3/F, National Museum of Fine Arts (NMFA), Padre Burgos Avenue, Ermita, Manila 1000, Metro Manila. Tel: (632) 8527-1215 and (632) 8298-1100.  Email: inquiry@nationalmuseum.gov.ph.  Website: nationalmuseum.gov.ph.  Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 9 AM – 4PM. Admission is free.  Coordinates: 14°35′13″N 120°58′52″E.

Visitors shall be limited to 100 per museum per session. Visitors are required to pre-book online at https://reservation.nationalmuseum.gov at least a day before the visit. Confirmation of booking will be sent through email. Group reservations are limited to five (5) persons only.  Walk-in visitors will NOT be accommodated.

Gallery XXIII (National Museum of Fine Arts, Manila)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

Gallery XXIII (GSIS Northwest Hall)

Gallery XXIII, a permanent exhibit at the third floor of the National Museum of Fine Arts, pays homage to the works of National Artist for Painting Vicente S. Manansala (1910-1981). It contains 16 of his works from the National Fine Arts Collection and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) art collection.

Check out “National Museum of Fine Arts”

Gallery entrance

Beside the entrance is the Planting of the First Cross, an oil on canvas piece that combines the artist’s mastery of both traditional and modern painting techniques, as well as his unique style of “transparent cubism.”

Planting of the First Cross (1965, oil on canvas)

This historical artwork of Manasala, commissioned by the national government in 1965, in celebration of 400 years of Philippine Christianity, vividly captures the birth of Christianity in the Philippines.  It features Spanish soldiers erecting the country’s first cross (the same one that still stands in Cebu) in 1521 while Filipinos, with intricate tattoos (called pintados), stand with curiosity and interest.

Procession (1948) and Burial (1948)

Man and Rooster (1950, oil on canvas)

The other oil on canvas paintings on display are Burial and Procession, both done in 1948; Man and Rooster (1950) and Birds in Flight (1965).

Bayanihan (1979, oil on jute)

I Believe in God (1948, oil on masonite)

Fish Vendor (1954, mixed media on masonite)

Manansala also painted on jute (Bayanihan, 1979, oil) and masonite (I Believe in God, 1948, oil) and Fish Vendor (1954, mixed media).

Maria Clara, Blumentritt and Celia (1959)

Man and Industry (Study, 1962, tempera, watercolor and collage on paper)

Also hanging on the walls are 3 ink on paper sketches done in 1959 (Maria Clara, Blumentritt and Celia) as well as one charcoal on paper (Abstract Nude – Paris, 1950), one tempera, watercolor and collage on paper (Study – Man and Industry, 1962) and three watercolor on paper paintings – Calesa (1951), Veronica (1957) and Bahay Kubo (1975).

Veronica (1957) and Bahay Kubo (1975)

Calesa (1951,watercolor on paper)

Also on display, at the center of the gallery, is a bronze bust of Vicente Manansala (1998) done by the late National Artist and sculptor Napoleon Abueva.

Bust of Vicente Manasala (Napoleon Abueva, 1998, bronze)

The gallery also showcases the artist’s memorabilia from the Manansala Family Collection.

Manansala easel with a preliminary sketch

In a glass case are Manansala’s paintbrushes and palettes while at one corner of the gallery is his easel with a preliminary sketch.

Palettes of Manansala

Manasala Paintbrushes

Gallery XXIII: GSIS Northwest Hall, North Wing Galleries, Senate Floor, 3/F, National Museum of Fine Arts (NMFA), Padre Burgos Avenue, Ermita, Manila 1000, Metro Manila. Tel: (632) 8527-1215 and (632) 8298-1100.  Email: inquiry@nationalmuseum.gov.ph.  Website: nationalmuseum.gov.ph.  Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 9 AM – 4PM. Admission is free.  Coordinates: 14°35′13″N 120°58′52″E.

Gallery XIX – Pillars of Philippine Modernism (National Museum of Fine Arts, Manila)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

Gallery XIX (Pillars of Philippine Modernism)

Gallery XIX (Pillars of Philippine Modernism), a permanent exhibit at the third floor of the National Museum of Fine Arts, pays homage to the paintings and sketches of National Artists Hernando R. Ocampo (1911-1978), Ang Kiukok (1931-2005), and Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera (b. 1942).

Check out “National Museum of Fine Arts”

An array of H.R. Ocampo paintings

Most of these pieces were completed in the 1950s to 1970s, ranging from the early days of Modernism in the Philippines to the height of its popularity.

Fish Forms (Ang Kiukok, 1965, oil on canvas)

Ang Kiukok, who first attained prominence in the Philippine arts scene in the 1960s, had a distinct style, classified by some as “figurative expressionism,” fused influences from cubism, surrealism and expressionism. He was awarded National Artist of the Philippines for Visual Arts in 2001.

Ink Fish (Ang Kiukok, watercolor on paper)

Towards the Graveyard (Ang Kiukok, 1955, oil on canvas)

The colorful and striking paintings of this renowned Filipino Expressionist portrayed a variety of cubist-like figures such as a mother embracing her infant, grisly crucifixions, tables holding an array of fish and fruit, stray dogs, and screaming subjects.

Watermelon (Ang Kiukok, 1977, tempera on paper)

Ang Kiukok was equally at home on canvas and paper and four of his works are displayed at the gallery – one watercolor on paper (Ink Fish), tempera on paper (Watermelon, 1977) and two oil on canvas paintings (Fish Forms, 1965; and Towards the Graveyard, 1955).

Imaginary Portrait of Isabel (Benedicto R. Cabrera, 1969, oil on canvas)

Sabel (Benedicto R. Cabrera, 2008, oil on canvas)

Benedicto “BenCab” Reyes Cabrera, awarded National Artist of the Philippines for Visual Arts (Painting) in 2006, has been noted as “arguably the best-selling painter of his generation of Filipino artists.

Woman in Distress (Bencab, 2007, acrylic on canvas)

On display at the gallery are two acrylic on canvas paintings (Woman in Distress, 2007; and Self, 1965) and three oil on canvas paintings (Manggagawa – Laborer, 1968; Imaginary Portrait of Isabel, 1969; and Sabel, 2008).

Predestined (Benedicto R. Cabrera, 1967, pen and wash on paper)

Also on display are a series of 9 pen and ink on paper drawings (1968) and a pen and wash on paper drawing (Predestined, 1967).

Untitled – Series of 9 Drawings (Benedicto R. Cabrera, 1968, pen and ink on paper)

Hernando Ruiz Ocampo, a self-taught painter  and a leading member of the pre-war Thirteen Moderns whose abstract works that left an indelible mark on Philippine modern art, was a leading radical modernist artist in the Philippines.  He was awarded National Artist of the Philippines for Visual Arts in 1991.

Ang Pulubi (Hernando R. Ocampo,1946, oil on canvas)

Break of Day (Hernando R. Ocampo, 1948, oil on canvas)

His art, described to be “abstract compositions of biological forms, seemed to oscillate, quiver, inflame and multiply” like mutations.

Abstraction No. 161 (Hernando R. Ocampo, 1978, acrylic on canvas)

Kasaysayan ng Lahi (Hernando R. Ocampo, 1974, acrylic on canvas)

Resurrection (Hernando R. Ocampo, 1978, oil on canvas)

His pen and ink on paper works include Bunker 68 (a series of 2 drawings, 1968), Palayok (clay pot, 3 drawings), Female Figures (series of 4 drawings, 1951 and 1969), Abstract (series of 4 drawings), Flowers (1978) and Parol (1968).

Female Figures – Various drawings (Hernando R. Ocampo, 1951 and 1969, pen and ink on paper)

Bunker 68 – Series of 2 Drawings (Hernando R. Ocampo, 1968, pen and ink on paper)

Also on display are two undated, 3 ft. x 5 ft. oil on canvas paintings  from a series of the Stations of the Cross made by Carlos “Botong” Francisco (1912-1969), both on loan from the GSIS Collection –  Station No. 3 (Jesus Falls the First Time) and Station No. 5 (Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry the Cross). Botong was awarded National Artist of the Philippines for Painting in 1973.

Angel’s Kiss (Hernando R. Ocampo, 1949, acrylic on paper)

Revelation 8 (Hernando R. Ocampo, 1978, oil on canvas)

Untitled (Hernando R. Ocampo, 1978, oil on canvas)

These two are part of the Don Bosco Chapel Series of paintings (including a gigantic crucifix scene) commissioned by the Salesian Fathers for the small church inside Don Bosco Mandaluyong and painted in barely 5 months in 1960.

Stations of the Cross No. 3 (Carlos V. Francisco, undated, oil on canvas)

To raise funds for various poor and marginalized youth projects, the 14 panels were later sold, by the panel, by the Salesian Fathers .  In the mid-1980s, Station 1-7 was disposed off and Stations 8-14, including the magnificent crucifixion altarpiece, were sold at a higher value.  These stations, minus the altarpiece, are now part of the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ collection.  Stations 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7 are now in the hands of anonymous individuals.

Stations of the Cross No. 5 (Carlos V. Francisco, undated, oil on canvas)

Gallery XIX: 3/F, National Museum of Fine Arts (NMFA), Padre Burgos Avenue, Ermita, Manila 1000, Metro Manila. Tel: (632) 8527-1215 and (632) 8298-1100.  Email: inquiry@nationalmuseum.gov.ph.  Website: nationalmuseum.gov.ph.  Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 9 AM – 4PM. Admission is free.  Coordinates: 14°35′13″N 120°58′52″E.

Gallery XVI (National Museum of Fine Arts, Manila)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

The Progress of Medicine in the Philippines (Carlos Francisco, 1961, oil on canvas)

Gallery XVI, a permanent exhibit at the third floor of the National Museum of Fine Arts, is dedicated to “The Progress of Medicine in the Philippines” (Pag-unlad ng Panggagamot sa Pilipinas), a quadtych of four large-scale, oil on canvas paintings by celebrated muralist and National Artist for the Visual Arts (1973) Carlos “Botong” Francisco (1912-1969) that depicts the evolution of healing practices in the Philippines from the pre-colonial period tribal practices to the modern period.

Check out “National Museum of Fine Arts”

Gallery entrance

Especially commissioned in 1953 by Dr. Agerico Sison, then director of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), these were once put on display at the entrance hall lobby.  However, these paintings were constantly exposed to the elements, requiring them to undergo restoration. Eventually, they were moved to the National Museum. The panels were restored by Tomas Bernardo in 1974 and 1991 and by a team supervised by Orlando Abinion from 2006 to 2007.

Pre-Colonial Period

Spanish Era

Two high-quality reproductions of these paintings, created by photographer Benigno T. Tod III, are still on display at two sides of the PGH lobby. Declared as a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines on September 21, 2011, these important works are on loan to the National Museum by the University of the Philippines to secure their preservation.  Each painting measures 2.92 x 2.76 m. (9.71 x 8.92 ft.).

American Occupation

Modern Era

The first painting depicts a babaylan (female shaman), with arms uplifted, leading a healing ritual in Pre-Colonial Philippines.  The second painting, illustrating the arrival of the Spaniards in the Philippines, features two monks, one holding a plant specimen in his right hand while the other monk is deep in study behind him.  Both are surrounded by characters (manananggal, the falling bodies of “tormented and oppressed” people, a tortured child and a sorcerer holding a voodoo doll) representing superstitious beliefs and practices of the people.

Ina ng Lahi (Mother of the Race) (Jose P. Alcantara)

The third painting, illustrating the American Occupation which brought a new focus on public health and sanitation, depicts two men hiding under a plant to avoid inoculation while a group of men are collecting dead rodents after fumigation. The fourth painting illustrates the distinguishing characteristics of modern medicine like surgery, radiation, medical devices, laboratory analysis and hospitals.  The four panels are connected by common elements such as flora and clouds.

Ina ng Ani (Mother of Harvest) (Jose P. Alcantara, 1951, wood)

Across from Botong’s large-scale painting is “Philippine Folklore,” a large-scale wood relief series by renowned sculptor Jose P. Alcantara (1911-2005), done with the help of several hired and trained woodcarvers from Paete (Laguna), from the Philam Life Collection which was part of the right side of a 1,536 cm. (50-ft.) long (the length of the theater’s orchestra), multi-panel piece which was originally installed at the outside walls of the 780-seat Philam Life Auditorium (designed by National Artist for Architecture Carlos Arguelles) along U.N. Avenue, Ermita, Manila in 1961.

Philippine Folklore (Jose P. Alcantara)

Declared as an “Important Cultural Property” by the National Museum of the Philippines on June 27, 2019, these narra wood reliefs depict various scenes that represent Filipino culture and traditions. On March 14, 2019, it was unveiled at Gallery XVI by the Philam Foundation.  The wood carving shows a continuous scene depicting Filipino-Christians and Muslims doing their own festivities while staying connected to each other.

Muslims showcasing their traditional dance and playing brass instruments

At the left side, huddled Christians are seen hearing mass inside a Baroque church.  Cockfights and metal craftsmen at work are also depicted.  Past the balangay at the center, the lifestyle shifts to festive Muslims showcasing their traditional dance and playing brass instruments.

Scene depicting cockfights and metalsmiths at work

At the center of the gallery are two prize-winning (Art Association of the Philippines) wooden sculptures of Jose P. Alcantara –  Ina ng Lahi (Mother of the Race, 1951, narra wood), special prize (1951); and Ina ng Ani (Mother of Harvest, 1951), third prize winner (1954).

President Sergio Osmena (1952, wood)

Sleepy Santo Nino 400 Years After (1965, wood)

Mounted on a wall near the entrance are a five wooden sculptures – Sleepy Santo Nino 400 Years After (1965), made in commemoration of 400th anniversary of the arrival of Miguel Lopez de Legaspi in 1565, marking the beginning of Spanish colonization; President Sergio Osmena (1952), awarded first prize, in the woodcarving category, by the Art Association of the Philippines in 1952; Lapu Lapu (1953); The “Guy” (President Ramon Magsaysay, 1954); and “Ike” (US President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1953), made in honor of the election of Eisenhower as 34th president of the U.S. in 1953, awarded first prize, in the woodcarving category, by the Art Association of the Philippines in 1953).

Lapu Lapu (1953, wood)

The Guy (President Ramon Magsaysay) (1954, wood)

Gallery XVI: Philippine General Hospital Hall, 3/F, National Museum of Fine Arts (NMFA), Padre Burgos Avenue, Ermita, Manila 1000, Metro Manila. Tel: (632) 8527-1215 and (632) 8298-1100.  Email: inquiry@nationalmuseum.gov.ph.  Website: nationalmuseum.gov.ph.  Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 9 AM – 4PM. Admission is free.  Coordinates: 14°35′13″N 120°58′52″E.

Gallery XII – Eskultor ng Lahing Filipino:  Honoring the Life and Work of Guillermo Tolentino (National Museum of Fine Arts, Manila)

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

Gallery XII – Eskultor ng Lahing Filipino: Honoring the Life and Work of Guillermo Tolentino

Gallery XII – Eskultor ng Lahing Filipino:  Honoring the Life and Work of Guillermo Tolentino, a permanent exhibition (opened last July 24, 2013) at the second floor of the National Museum of Fine Arts, features the work of National Artist of the Philippines for Sculpture (1973) Guillermo E. Tolentino.  The title eskultor ng lahing Pilipino was taken from Jose Corazon de Jesus‘ 1930 poem Ang Bantayog ng Bayani.

Check out “National Museum of Fine Arts”

Gallery Entrance

Tolentino dominated sculpture in the 1920s to 1970s and the decades beyond, particularly in portraiture and human forms.  He followed the Classical style and mainly used plaster and metal to create his sculptures.  Originally launched in 2013, on display are some of his rarely seen works from private lenders and from the National Fine Arts Collection.

Foreground: the two models and casts of the Commonwealth Triumphal Arch

Hanging from the walls are recognitions awarded to Tolentino by the University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts Annual Exhibitions from 1910 to 1916; a pencil sketch on paper of Liberty Granting Independence to Filipinos; technical drawings of the column and base of the Bonifacio Monument; Tolentino’s U.P. School of Fine Arts diplomas for Sculpture and Painting; Tolentino’s 1908 diploma from the Royal Higher Institute of Fine Arts in Rome; Tolentino’s 1931 commemorative diploma from the Exposition Coloniale Internationale in Paris; and a 1931 self-portrait of Tolentino.

Galeria de Filipinos Ilustres (lithograph, 1933)

The 1933 lithograph of Galeria de Filipinos Ilustres , a group portrait of heroes, was drawn by Tolentino when he was still in high school and attending classes at the UP School of Fine Arts.  It was later printed in Liwayway Magazine.

Check out “The Andres Bonifacio Monument”

UP School of Fine Arts Diplomas for Sculpture and Painting

Top left is Tolentino’s 1908 diploma from the Royal Higher Institute of Fine Arts in Rome. Below it is Tolentino’s 1931 commemorative diploma from the Exposition Coloniale Internationale in Paris. At right is a pen on paper self-portrait of the artist(1931)

At the center of the gallery are the two scaled models and casts, from the 14-piece collection of Frederick Dy, for the Commonwealth Triumphal Arch which would have been one of the iconic monuments of Manila, similar to the Arc de Triomphe de l’Etoile in Paris, France. Meant to commemorate the years of Filipinos lobbying for the independence of the Philippines to be recognized, it was planned to be situated at the intersection of Plaza Burgos and Taft Avenue, near the Manila City Hall and the Old Legislative Building (now the National Museum of Fine Arts).

At center are the technical drawings of the column and base of the Bonifacio Monument. Flanking it are busts of Pres. Manuel L. Quezon and American Gen. Douglas MacArthur

Commissioned by the UP Alumni Association in 1935 (the first year of the 10-year transition of the Philippines from an American occupied territory to an independent nation), Tolentino designed a humongous structure that would have featured bas-relief statues of ordinary Filipinos seemingly supporting the whole arch. Approved by Pres. Manuel L. Quezon and the National Assembly, the budget for the arch was set for PhP500,000.00 and First Lady Aurora Aragón Quezon already laid the first trowel of cement on the foundation. Unfortunately, the Japanese imperial army invaded the Philippines in 1941 and the construction was never continued.

L-R: Marble statues of A Praying Cherub (ca. 1920) and A Praying Angel (1935)

Behind the Commonwealth Triumphal Arch is the 1973 life-size statue of Don Quintin Paredes as Speaker of the House (polychrome plaster of Paris). Other statues include a marble sculpture of his daughter Lualhati on a granite pedestal; a polychrome concrete statue of a Seated Girl Reading; marble statues of a Praying Cherub (ca. 1935), a Praying Angel (ca. 1920) and a Girl Holding a Wreath (1920); and an undated model for the monument and head of Dr. Nicanor Reyes (polychrome plaster of Paris).

An undated marble statue, on granite pedestal, of Lualhati, Tolentino’s daughter, when she was six years old. Lualhati, who now resides in Germany, is among Tolentino’s seven children with his wife, Paz Raymundo. This is the only sculpture of the artist’s family member in the National Fine Arts Collection.

The rest of the display are busts, mostly made of polychrome plaster of Paris (some with polychrome resin and plaster of Paris), of Philippine presidents (Manuel L. Quezon, Manuel A. Roxas, Emilio Aguinaldo, Ramon Magsaysay and Ferdinand E. Marcos); local heroes (Jose Rizal, Lapu-Lapu, Epifanio de los Santos and Andres Bonifacio); soldiers (Col. Salvador Reyes and American Gen. Douglas MacArthur); industrialists (Andres Soriano Sr.); politicians (Quintin Paredes, Jaime de Veyra), notable women (Luisa Marasigan, Consolacion Singian); American writer and Filipinologist A.V.H. Hartendorp; and artists (Crispulo Zamora).

Life-size statue of Don Quintin Paredes as Speaker of the House (polychrome plaster of Paris, 1973)

Most of the work and memorabilia presented in the gallery were collected by Tolentino’s family (formerly displayed at the Pasig City Museum) and several private patrons and institutional partners of the National Museum of the Philippines (Security Bank chairman Frederick Dy, Judy Araneta-Roxas, Ernesto and Araceli Salas, and Nestor Jordin).

Gallery XII – Eskultor ng Lahing Filipino:  Honoring the Life and Work of Guillermo Tolentino: Security Bank Hall, 2/F, National Museum of Fine Arts (NMFA), Padre Burgos Avenue, Ermita, Manila 1000, Metro Manila. Tel: (632) 8527-1215 and (632) 8298-1100.  Email: inquiry@nationalmuseum.gov.ph.  Website: nationalmuseum.gov.ph.  Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 9 AM – 4PM. Admission is free.  Coordinates: 14°35′13″N 120°58′52″E.

Gallery XI – Drawings of  Fernando C. Amorsolo (National Museum of Fine Arts, Manila)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

Gallery XI (Drawings of Fernando C. Amorsolo)

Gallery XI – Drawings of  Fernando C. Amorsolo, at the second floor of the National Museum of Fine Arts, features over 100 black-and-white pencil and ink sketches and oil studies of Fernando Cueto Amorsolo, the first National Artist of the Philippines.

Check out “National Museum of Fine Arts”

Gallery entrance

An incessant sketch artist, Amorsolo often drew sketches at his home, at Luneta Park and in the countryside. He drew the people he saw around him, from farmers to city-dwellers coping with the Japanese Occupation.  As seen in his paintings, Amorsolo’s impressionistic tendencies were at their height in his sketches. His figures were not completely finished but were mere “suggestions” of the image.

These sketches and oil studies were done before Amorsolo did the final and actual artwork. These include rural landscapes and seascapes, portraits, indigenous people and genre and everyday scenes that depict life in the countryside.

Details of Portraits (graphite of pen and ink on paper, undated)

The gallery also displays Painted Window of Christ the King, a stained glass masterpiece, done on a Gothic-style window frame, by painter Cesar Amorsolo (1903-1998), Amorsolo’s nephew and his assistant for 30 years.

Landscapes and Seascapes (graphite on paper, undated)

This triptych was commissioned for a private chapel in Manila after World War II, remaining there until its transfer and subsequent donation to the National Museum of the Philippines.

Nudes – Indigenous People and Historical Scene (graphite on paper, undated)

It features Christ the King, a classical Christian representation based on several passages of Scripture, seated in the central panel, flanked by the archangels Rafael and Gabriel, bowing low, on the glass side panels.

 

Painted Window of Christ the King (Cesar Amorsolo)

Gallery XI – Drawings of Fernando C. Amorsolo: Society for the Preservation of Philippine Culture (SPPC) Hall, 2/F, National Museum of Fine Arts (NMFA), Padre Burgos Avenue, Ermita, Manila 1000, Metro Manila. Tel: (632) 8527-1215 and (632) 8298-1100.  Email: inquiry@nationalmuseum.gov.ph.  Website: nationalmuseum.gov.ph.  Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 9 AM – 4PM. Admission is free.  Coordinates: 14°35′13″N 120°58′52″E.

Gallery IX (National Museum of Fine Arts, Manila)

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

Gallery IX (Early 20th Century Philippine Portrait Hall)

Gallery IX, a permanent exhibit at the second floor of the National Museum of Fine Arts, features a collection of works of portraiture and Filipino types by artists under the Classical Realist School during 1903 to 1960 and works of portraiture by artists that are the pioneer and prolific during that period.

Check out  “National Museum of Fine Arts”

Oil on canvas portraits of Luisa Reyes Vergel de Dios (1956), Alicia Calleja Castro (1956) and Antonio Julio Trullench y de la Orden (1947), all by Fernando C. Amorsolo

National Artist Fernando Amorsolo (1892-1972), best known for his illuminated landscapes (which often portrayed traditional Filipino customs, culture, fiestas and occupations), was also a most sought-after portrait artist with commissions from many illustrious families.

Portrait of Elpidio Quirino as President (Fernando Amorsolo y Cueto, 1950, oil on canvas)

Portrait of Francis B. Harrison (Fernando Amorsolo y Cueto, 1936, oil on canvas)

On display in this gallery are his oil portraits of Presidents (General Emilio Aguinaldo, Manuel A. Roxas, Jose B. Laurel and Elpidio Quirino), American officials in the Philippines (Paul V. McNutt, Francis B. Harrison and Frank Murphy) and other prominent individuals such as Julieta Abad Rufino, Antonio Julio Trullench, Alicia Calleja Castro,  Susana Bernardo Ramos, Felicidad Cruz Castro, Luisa Reyes Vergel de Dios, etc.).

Dress and Portrait of Felicidad Cruz Castro

Portrait and Suit of Manuel A. Roxas

The suit worn by President Manuel Roxas and the dresses worn by Susana Bernardo Ramos and Felicidad Cruz Castro, for their portraits by Fernando Amorsolo, are on also mounted on mannequins beside the portraits,

Studio furniture of Fernando Amorsolo. On the easel is the unfinished portrait of Florencia Singson Gonzales-Belo

Also on display are his assorted studio furniture such as his chair, painting trolley and easel with the unfinished portrait of Florencia Singson Gonzales-Belo,the mother of Vicky Belo.

Country Lass (1933) and Head of a Spanish Lady (1918), both type studies by Fabian de la Rosa

Fabian de la Rosa (1869-1937), the uncle and mentor to Fernando Amorsolo, and to his brother Pablo Amorsolo (1898-1945, his Mestiza, ca. 1920 Portrait of Fabian de la Rosa and Portrait of Padre Mariano Gomez are  also on display), is regarded as a “master of genre” in Philippine art. He is well known for his realistic portraits.

Portraits, by Fabian de la Rosa, of Gertrudis Gorricho viuda de Pardo de Tavera (oil on canvas) and Baldomera Alveyra (1919, oil on canvas)

On display here are his portraits of Apolinario Mabini (1911), Baldomera Alveyra (1919), William Atkinson Jones,  Gertrudis Gorricho (widow of Pardo de Tavera) and Juan Luna.  Also on display are type studies of a Country Lass (1933) and Head of a Spanish Lady (1918).

Mestiza (Pablo Amorsolo y Cueto, 1943, oil on canvas)

Portraits of Padre Mariano Gomez and Fabian de la Rosa, both by Pablo C. Amorsolo

Pedro V. Coniconde (1901-1974) was an art director of the Philippine Herald and illustrator for the Tribune whose art specializes in Spanish-style cartoon/illustrations.

Studies for portraits of Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Aguinaldo (Pedro Coniconde, 1953, oil on board)

Portrait of Carlos P. Garcia as President (Pedro V. Coniconde, 1958, oil on canvas)

On display in the gallery are a oil on board studies for the portraits of Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Aguinaldo and oil on canvas portraits of presidents Ramon Magsaysay (195) and Carlos P. Garcia (1958), all rendered in incredibly fine hatchings, cross-hatchings, and stipplings.

Portraits of Jose Corazon de Jesus (1938) and Francisco Balagtas (1935), both oil on canvases by Zosimo Dimaano

Zosimo F. Dimaano (1895 -1942), who took lessons in art under Ramon Rivera and worked with Fernando Amorsolo (1892-1972) as a designer at Pacific Commercial and in the Bureau of Printing’s photo-engraving section, also worked in several photo studios in Santa Cruz, Manila.

Portrait of Andres Bonifacio (Zosimo F. Dimaano, ca. 1935, oil on canvas)

Portrait of Padre Jose Burgos (Zosimo F. Dimaano, ca. 1935, oil on canvas)

On display in this gallery are his oil on canvas portraits of Andres Bonifacio (ca. 1935), Apolinario Mabini (ca. 1935), Francisco Balagtas (ca. 1935), Graciano Lopez Jaena (ca. 1935), Jose Corazon de Jesus (1938) and Padre Jose Burgos (ca. 1935).

Portrait of Teodoro P. Buenaventura (Romeo B. Enriquez, 1948, oil on canvas)

Portrait of Manuel L. Quezon as President (Romeo B. Enriquez, 1948, oil on canvas)

Romeo B. Enriquez (b. 1920), a sought-after portraitist with a studio-gallery along Mabini Street, has won first prizes in several painting competitions. On display are his 1948 oil on canvas portraits of artist Teodoro Buenaventura and Philippine presidents Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio Osmena.

Filipina Beauty (Jorge Pineda, ca. 1920, pastel on paper)

Portrait of Isabelo de los Reyes (Ramon Peralta y Resurrecion)

Also included are the works of pioneers and prolific artists of the period as well as of younger artists who would be counted as belonging to the “Amorsolo School.”

Portrait of Emmanuel Pelaez as Vice-President (Isaac Eustaquio, 1964, oil on canvas)

Portrait of an Old Woman (Araceli Limcaco Dans, 1947, oil on canvas)

On display are Country Lass (ca. 1920, oil on canvas) and Filipina Beauty (ca. 1920, pastel on paper) of Jorge Pineda (1879-1946); the Portrait of Isabelo de los Reyes and Portrait of Juan Luna y Novicio of Ramon Peralta (1877-1940); the oil on canvas portraits of Maria Lourdes L. Estrella (1953) and Santanina Tillah Rasul (1951) and the watercolor on paper portrait of Fabian de la Rosa (1937) of Ireneo I. Miranda (1896-1964); the oil on canvas portraits of Guillermo E. Tolentino (1948), Jose B. Laurel as Senator and Statesman (1953), Amado V. Hernandez (1948), Elpidio Quirino as President (1948) and Manuel L. Quezon as President (1949) of Crispin V. Lopez (1903-1985); Portrait of a Man (1947, pastel on paper) of Benjamin P. Alano (1920 – 1991); Portrait of an Old Woman (1947, oil on canvas) of Araceli Limcaco Dans (b. 1929);  The Soul of the Earth (1947, oil on canvas) of Kapampangan painter Jose B. David (1909 – 1990); the oil on canvas portraits of Carlos P. Garcia as President (1964), Emilio Aguinaldo as Elder Statesman (1964, oil on canvas) and Emmanuel Pelaez as Vice-President (1964) of Isaac Eustaquio (1888 – 1969); Portrait of Lope K. Santos (ca. 1915, oil on canvas) of Ilonggo painter Pedro Z. Respall (1873 – 1919); and A Filipina Beauty (1931, pastel on paper) of Vicente Alvarez Dizon (1905 – 1947).

Portrait of a Muslim Man (Oscar T. Navarro, 1948, oil on canvas)

A Filipina Beauty (Vicente Alvarez Dizon, 1931, pastel on paper)

Also on display, by unknown artists, is the Portrait of a Woman (charcoal on paper) and Trinidad Pardo de Tavera (1926, oil on canvas).

Portrait of a Woman (unknown artist, ca.1925, charcoal on paper)

Portrait of Trinidad Pardo de Tavera (unknown artist, 1926, oil on canvas)

Gallery IX: Early 20th Century Philippine Portrait Hall, 2/F, National Museum of Fine Arts (NMFA), Padre Burgos Avenue, Ermita, Manila 1000, Metro Manila. Tel: (632) 8527-1215 and (632) 8298-1100.  Email: inquiry@nationalmuseum.gov.ph.  Website: nationalmuseum.gov.ph.  Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 9 AM – 4PM. Admission is free.  Coordinates: 14°35′13″N 120°58′52″E.

Visitors shall be limited to 100 per museum per session. Visitors are required to pre-book online at https://reservation.nationalmuseum.gov at least a day before the visit. Confirmation of booking will be sent through email. Group reservations are limited to five (5) persons only.  Walk-in visitors will NOT be accommodated.