Nagtatanim ng Palay

Philippines Mother and Child

The Sarimanok

Reporters/ Group Members References:

Advincula, Jeffrey S. Marcos, Lucilla L. , Introduction to Humanities, Visual and Performing Arts. 2006

Babon, John Ivan A. Bascara, Linda R. et. al., Humanities and the Digital Art, Rex Bookstore Inc. 2007

Fabrigar, Jayson J. http://www.koleksyon.com/filipinoheritage/arts

Gonzales, Uzziah Nelson A.

Development of Visual Arts in the Philippines

Painting
In the Philippines, painting is compared to that of its counterpart in the pacific region.
By nature, Filipinos are imaginative and creative but whatever artifacts available were
eventually lost to oblivion because of two major factors; the first is that primitive art
were made to last for a very short life span. Maybe because of the medium used such
as leaves and bark of trees which could not withstand the harsh weather, and second is
the coming of the Spanish colonizers left them with no choice but to give up their way
of life and accept the culture of the Spaniards.

Ethnic Art- This means native or indigenous Philippine design. This kind of art is Langit, Lupa at Impierno
influenced by our southeast-asian neighbors. The Ethnic art has curvilinear and linear ca. 1850
patterns or design. This can also be traced from the primitive designs as demonstrated
in Philippine Pre-historic pottery used as surface decorations by way of painting or engraving.

Folk Art- It means People’s craft as well as handicrafts. This is basically made by the hands of
the common people where the materials are crafted together that the process itself is also
an art form. The quality and style of this products reflect the way of life of the makers.

Common Folk Art Motifs

1. The Serpent Demon of the Naga. The Naga design is said to be Sanskrit in origin. This art
has a counterpart in Indonesia as dragons or mythical serpents. The Naga has the form of an
elaborate mythical serpent with a vigorous S-curve and numerous curvilinear motifs to
suggest its scales.

2.The Sarimanok. A cultural symbol of Mindanao, and is highly regarded throughout the “Pintados”
country, it was influenced by Indonesea and Malaysia and is said to have originated from the
middle east. It is depicted as a fowl with colorful wings and feathered tail, holding a fish on
its beak or talons. It is said to be a symbol of good fortune.

Tattoo Art. Tattooing was very prevalent among the early Filipinos specially among the people in Central Visayas. Aside
from being used for beautification, tattoo is also a symbol of rank, and is believed to have magical properties. The
practice has become very common that when the Spaniards arrived they called these people as “Pintados” .
Modern Influence. The Spanish friars introduced Western painting in the Philippines to artisans who learned to copy on
two-dimensional form from the religious icons that the friars brought from Spain,. For the first centuries of Spanish
colonization, painting was limited to religious icons. Portraits of saints and of the Holy Family became a familiar sight in
churches. Other subject matters include the passion of Christ, the Via Crucis, the crucifixion, portrayal of heaven,
purgatory and hell.

In the church in Paete, Laguna Josef Luciano Dans (1805- ca. 1870), probably one of the earliest recorded painters in
Philippine art history painted the Langit, Lupa at Impierno ca. 1850 (Heaven, Earth and Hell), a three-level painting
which shows the Holy Trinity, Mary the Mother of Christ, saints, the Seven Blessed Sacraments and a macabre depiction
of Hell. During the early part of the Spanish occupation, painting was exclusively for the churches and for religious
purposes. Occasionally, it was also used for propaganda. Secular subject matter in painting only increased during the
19th century.

Several Filipino painters had the chance to

study and work abroad. Among them were
Juan Novicio Luna and Felix Resureccion
Hidalgo who became the first international
Filipino artists when they won the gold and
silver medals in the 1884 Madrid Exposition.
Luna’s academic painting Spoliarium won gold
medal. It showed the dead and dying Roman
Gladiators being dragged into the basement of
the Coliseum. After World War II, the Neo-
Realist school of painting emerged, with such
notable members as Fernando Amorsolo,
Vicente Manansala and others.

Modern Filipino Painters

Fernando Amorsolo (May 30, 1892 – April 24,

1972) He is popularly known for his
craftsmanship and mastery in the use of light.
Ipinanganak sa , siya na nakuha ng isang
degree mula sa Liceo de Manila Art School sa
1909. Born in Paco, Manila , he earned a
degree from the Liceo de Manila Art School in
1909. Vicente Manansa
(January 22, 1910 - August 22, 1981) was a
Philippine cubist painter and illustrator. He
developed transparent cubism , wherein the
"delicate tones, shapes, and patterns of figure
and environment are masterfully
superimposed

Sculpture
Pottery. Among our most ancient arts is
pottery, which combines design and function.
The Manunggul Jar excavated in Palawan is
evidence of the high artistic level which the art
attained in an ancient times. This large burial
jar has a cover which features two men rowing Fredesvinda
a boat, suggesting the belief of the early
Bonifacio Monument
Filipinos in an afterlife that one reaches after
crossing a mythical body of water. Around its
body is an incised geometric pattern of lines
and dots. Extant examples of early Philippine
pottery show a wide variety of shapes and
decorative techniques, such an incision,
stippling, openwork and impression by rope
and mat. Their designs were usually geometric
with stylized nature motifs. Later, pottery
became more and more functional, principal
examples of which are the palayok for cooking, the banga and the tapayan for storing liquids. In the Ilocos, the making of
burnay pottery continues as a lively tradition.

WoodCarving. Many parts of the country have lively woodcarving traditions. The Cordillera groups carve anito figures
called bulol which double as ancestral spirits and granary gods. They are often found in pairs to signify the value of
fertility. Human and animal motifs are also integrated into parts of houses such as door posts, as well as household
objects such as bowls, forks and spoons. In Southern Philippines, the Maranao and the Tausog of Mindanao are
known for their okir-a-datu, ornate curvilinear designs and motifs applied to woodcarving. The principal okir
designs are the sarimanok, the naga and the pako rabong. The sarimanok carved in wood, simply varnished or
painted in many colors (it is also executed in brass).. The pako rabong is a stylized growing fern with a broad
base gracefully tapering upwards. Spanish Influence

Modern Sculptures. Of all the new art forms introduced, the Filipinos took to sculpture from the Spanish instantly. The
carving of anito was transformed into sculpture of the saints. These santos were used primarily for the church altars and
retablos. It also replaced the anitos in the altars of the natives’ homes. The earliest known sculptor in the Philippines is
the 17th century sacristan, sculptor and silversmith Juan de los Santos (ca. 1590 – ca. 1660) of San Pablo, Laguna. A few
of his extant works may be found at the San Agustin Convent museum.

Filipino sculptors came to be known in the middle of the 19 th century. Classical Philippine sculpture reached its peak in
the works of Guillermo Tolentino (1890-1976). His best known masterpiece is the Bonifacio Monument, which is a group
sculpture composed of numerous figures massed around a central obelisk. The principal figure is Andres Bonifacio,
leader of the revolution against Spain in 1896. Napoleon Abueva (born 1930), one of Tolentino'’s pupils, is one of the
pioneering modernists in sculpture. He used various media. Abueva's most famous work is Fredesvinda , which was
included in the First ASEAN Sculpture Symposium held in Fort Canning Hill, Singapore, from March 27 to April 26, 1981
shows the vitality of primitive forms.

Architecture

Apayao House

Barasoain Church. Est. 1630 National Museum . est, 1901

Ancient Filipinos lived in big settlements along sheltered bays, coastal areas, and
mouths of rivers. Interior settlements were established at the headwaters and
banks of rivers and their tributaries. The houses were usually constructed side by
side along the river banks or seashores.

Philippine architecture responds to the climate. Although there are many

variations, generally the roof of the first Philippine houses, nipa huts, or bahay
kubo, were high pitched and usually open gabled to allow for ventilation. The
steeply sloping pitch also protected from the wind and rain in the typhoon
season.These houses were elevated three to four meters of the ground, supported
by wood or bamboo. The structure was usually four-walled with tukod windows. Bungalow House
The Bagobos and Kalingas people used this type of house for protection from
enemies and wild animals on the ground. In the southern islands of the Philippines
archipelago, the Moros of Mindanao had distinct architecture of their own. It was
brought with them along with the Muslim religion.

Western Influence in the Philippines

Spanish Period. This period refers to the religious and civil buildings erected with
the style influenced from South America and Spain. Examples of these are the Golden Empire Tower, Manila
Catholic Churches and the famous town of Vigan.
American Period. Under the American Occupation, many secular built such as the National Museum and the National
Post Office Buildings. These structures reflect the neo-classical style of American Architecture.

Post-Modern. The period of imported architecture. There is an extensive use of steel and glass which reflect the fast
developing urban community. New building designs that could cope with the weather is continually developed.