Published by: Alessandria Erich Alaso
Date Published: February 26, 2024
Time Published: 8:00 AM
Our country is known for its
beautiful tradition and culture that many Filipinos are proud of. From our
food, values, attitudes, and most especially our art, there are many things
that make our country, the Philippines, unique from other countries.
Since we are celebrating the National Month of Arts this February, here are
some of the most proudly presented famous Philippine paintings that hold a lot
of historical value to our country.
Let us tunnel into the secrets of some popular portraits with the colors of
culture as we unravel some of the strokes of the wizards here in the
Philippines!
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Spoliarium is one of Juan Luna's notable artworks. It was created in 1884
when the Philippines is still under the Spanish colonization.
Did you know? The word "Spoilarium" came from Latin and means
"the basement of the Roman Colosseum." Gladiators were trained
fighters in ancient Rome who were thrown into the arena to battle other men or
wild animals with weapons. When a gladiator fell or died, they were left there
[1]. As the painting portrays, just like the Gladiators, the situation of
Filipinos in the Spanish colonization era in the Philippines.
First displayed in 1884 at the ExposiciΓ³n Nacional de Bellas Artes in
Madrid, it brought Luna's extraordinary talent to the attention of the world by
winning the first gold medal. Spoliarium can be seen today at the National
Museum of Fine Arts in Manila, showcasing the country's rich cultural heritage
and enduring resilience.
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Benedicto Reyes Cabrera, also known as BenCab, is the artist who painted
the "Yellow Confetti" in the year 1984 during the People Power
Revolution in the mid-1980s. The majority of the colors in this painting are
dark, with the exception of the yellow confetti, which gives the composition a
cheery vibe. Since protestors donned yellow ribbons and the recognizable
"Laban" hand sign became a symbol of resistance and unanimity, yellow
is connected to the "Yellow Revolution".
The majority of the artwork is on the left side, where confetti that the
individuals in the right corner of the picture are tossing around [2]. This
illumination by Bencab hides various findings that can be a revelation to other
people since it has lots of elements with different emphasis in each shade,
texture, and expression.
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In the 1950s, Vicente Manansala, a well-known Filipino artist known for his
cubist paintings and prints, made a masterpiece titled 'Madonna of the Slums'.
The postwar streets of Manila inspired Manansala to paint this masterpiece;
it depicts the challenges and reality of the poor Filipinos living in a slum
area, which are still an existing phenomenon in the present [3]. The painting
features the melancholic expression of the mother and the child, which
showcases a typical extreme poverty situation.
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Fernando Amorsolo, also known as the "Grand Old Man of Philippine
Art," is considered one of his most famous works showing the
representation of Filipino rural life. It was constructed from 1921 to 1944. It
unveils a scene where Filipino workers are planting in a rice field, both
genders bending over as they plant rice seedlings [4]. The skyline is ruled by
a slight rise at the upper-middle cleared out, surmounted by a church with a
single chime tower at its center pediment encompassed by trees. The sky is
overwhelming with gray rain clouds, demonstrating that usually rainstorm
planting season, and casts a slightly cloudy light over the scene.
What makes his painting special? Fernando Amorsolo's piece of art portrays
the Filipino spirit and the crucial role of farmers in Philippine society. They
are a big part here in the country and are also considered heroes.
These paintings reflect the different adepts by their fascination with
captured moments of our Filipino chronicle. Despite its predominantly dark
tones in each canvas, it also invokes us to look at the luminous vision that
elevates the ordinary to the extraordinary. Since it is National Art Month, it
not only honors the past but also shoves us toward a future where the arts
continue to uplift us.
REFERENCE LISTS:
[1] Ynawrites (2023, June). Story behind: Juan Luna's spoliarium
painting. https://vocal.media/.../story-behind-juan-luna-s...
[2] Yip, F. (2012). "Asian 20th Century Art". Manila, The Philippines, 2002. p. 197. https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5568059....
[3] Anonymous Student (n.d). Madonna of the Slums. https://www.studocu.com/.../madonna-of-the-slums/34834702
[4] Leon Gallery. (2020). "Fernando Amorsolo(1892-1972)". p. 138. https://leon-gallery.com/.../The-Asian-Cultural.../138/42....
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