Chapter XVIII
Sculptured figure to buildings. Guillermo E. Tolentino
Government buildings erected in the revival styles in the Nineteen-Twenties and
Nineteen-Thirties were embellished with pendants, acanthuses, volutes, and also
figures of various forms, in low relief like those in the session halls of the Legislative
Building or in the round as those in the University of the Philippines buildings. In the
latter buildings, the symbolic representations of Education and Youth at the western
portal of the Rizal Hall on Padre Faura Street were sculptured in the shop of Ramon
Martinez. The figures at the eastern portal were done by Vicente Francisco, a pioneer
instructor in sculpture in the U.P. School of Fine Arts. The figures of Music and Art at the
portal of the Villamor Hall were by Guillermo Tolentino. The graceful Music figure helda
native manner: the Art figure held a pellete in one hand and a brush in the other. Both
figures bore remarkable classic proportions.
Just is Amorsolo is distinguished in painting. Guillermo E. Tolentino (1892-1976) is
distinguished in sculpture. But unlike Amorsolo, he is an way terate classicist; he abhors
any form of distortion in sculpture. At one time, he was immensely fascinated over
Rodin’s “The Man of the Age of Bronze” which some critics mistakenly said was
plastercast directly from a living model because of its perfect proportions. However, he
could not endure the sight of the “durghers of Calais”, rendered in the impressionistic
manner with exaggerated muscles, elongated arms, large hands, and oversized feet.
After earning a diploma in painting and another one in sculpture in 1915, Tolentino
worked for two years in Manila and one year in the towns of Laguna doing monuments
and other pieces. With the money he saved, he sailed for the United States in April,
1919. He planned to study and work in Washington, D.C., after which he would proceed
to Europe for further experience. In his stay in the U.S., he often ran short of funds.
102
Sculptured figure to buildings. Guillermo E. Tolentino
Government buildings erected in the revival styles in the Nineteen-Twenties and
Nineteen-Thirties were embellished with pendants, acanthuses, volutes, and also
figures of various forms, in low relief like those in the session halls of the Legislative
Building or in the round as those in the University of the Philippines buildings. In the
latter buildings, the symbolic representations of Education and Youth at the western
portal of the Rizal Hall on Padre Faura Street were sculptured in the shop of Ramon
Martinez. The figures at the eastern portal were done by Vicente Francisco, a pioneer
instructor in sculpture in the U.P. School of Fine Arts. The figures of Music and Art at the
portal of the Villamor Hall were by Guillermo Tolentino. The graceful Music figure helda
native manner: the Art figure held a pellete in one hand and a brush in the other. Both
figures bore remarkable classic proportions.
Just is Amorsolo is distinguished in painting. Guillermo E. Tolentino (1892-1976) is
distinguished in sculpture. But unlike Amorsolo, he is an way terate classicist; he abhors
any form of distortion in sculpture. At one time, he was immensely fascinated over
Rodin’s “The Man of the Age of Bronze” which some critics mistakenly said was
plastercast directly from a living model because of its perfect proportions. However, he
could not endure the sight of the “durghers of Calais”, rendered in the impressionistic
manner with exaggerated muscles, elongated arms, large hands, and oversized feet.
After earning a diploma in painting and another one in sculpture in 1915, Tolentino
worked for two years in Manila and one year in the towns of Laguna doing monuments
and other pieces. With the money he saved, he sailed for the United States in April,
1919. He planned to study and work in Washington, D.C., after which he would proceed
to Europe for further experience. In his stay in the U.S., he often ran short of funds.
102
