Part II – American Period
II. PAINTING
Chapter XIII
Painting in the first two decades.Fabian de la Rosa, Portrait Painter.
There was hardly any art activity, particularly in painting during the start of American Regine.
Unlike architecture painting assumed an almost nails pace in revitalizing itself it being an art from from
more remotely affecting the economic life of the people; it has lesser direct utility value than
architecture. If ever there was any painting done during the initial years in the new government, the
painters did so simply for love the art. As a matter of fact if not for the genuinely zealous spirit like
Miguel Zaragoza, Rafael Enriquez, Fabian De la Rosa, and Teodoro Buenaventura, and in a minimal way,
Alvero, Rivera and pineda, the growth or at least the mobility of painting that was standstill. The reason
behind this stagnation was the fact that commerce was generally restricted during the period between
the Spanish rule commercial activity naturally disable the artist as far as source of revenue was
concerned. When finally the Americans established an occupation government, commerce became
much freer and resulted in a wider, circulation of money; logically, further enriching the rich, besides
affording some wealth to enterprising others. Employment increased since a new government required a
larger numbers of civil workers of various competence and categories. The upper crust of the group, as
well as the officer class of the arm forces., the majority of the clientele of the artists.
73
, IN THE PHILIPPINES
The circumstance vored the artists, especia.iy the younger ones who were struggling for recognition, for
it afforded them a means oflvelihood while steering their way uphill in painting.
This last factor was of prime importance. The artist, in any eriod and in any country, paints
because he is inclined to and because he has the capability to paint, How much time he devotes to
painting largely depends upon his immunity from the pressure of elemental needs. Often, if he has a
family but disregards the whims of his clients by insisting on his own ways, he becomes a poor provider;
or if he elects to be a good bread winner, his a suffers. Of course, there are happy exceptions. For
instance, com- ciai art has helped many artists hurdle the proverbial "first one hundred years," because
of its lucrative nature in the green field of advertising. By 1903 the Manila "art world" began to stir. The
first siga f life was manifested in the effort to form an association of a and conscionable laymen to
promote art and art activities such as art exhibits, discussions and seminars. In 1908. Rafael Enriquez,
with the assistance of other painters and nongsinters, organized the AsociacionInternacional de Artistas.
In the sane year, it spon- sored an exhibition at the "Bazar Filipino" on the Escolta. Prizes were awarded.
Vicente Rivera y.Mir garnered one of the two first prizes with his oil entry "El Sueño Dorado," a one
figure compos tion. It portrayed a matron caught in the spell ie on a hammoćk; her right hand resting on
the edge of the hammock held an old issue of the newspaper "La Independencia,' This par- ticular pose
was said to have been prompted by the painter's wife who custómarily whiled away her siesta time in a h
mmock in their house in Paco. In her siesta, she usually fist scanned the papers, read a little more until
she finally dozed off. This cxactly the scene that sparked the idea in Rivera's sensibility and so coimposed
the winning painting. The subject's eyes closed ing attitude. The painting was genre in execution;
however it was full of allegory. It symbolized, according to the painter himself was but eloquently she
was put on canvas in a realistically mas- e Filipino's dream of independence. It was a remarkably vivid
objectification of Taft's pronouncement: "The 콰itt pines for the ilipinos." The other first prize was won
by Gaston O'Farellrenchman who settled in the Philippines since his youth. The inning entry was a
painting of the artist's mother.
74
II. PAINTING
Chapter XIII
Painting in the first two decades.Fabian de la Rosa, Portrait Painter.
There was hardly any art activity, particularly in painting during the start of American Regine.
Unlike architecture painting assumed an almost nails pace in revitalizing itself it being an art from from
more remotely affecting the economic life of the people; it has lesser direct utility value than
architecture. If ever there was any painting done during the initial years in the new government, the
painters did so simply for love the art. As a matter of fact if not for the genuinely zealous spirit like
Miguel Zaragoza, Rafael Enriquez, Fabian De la Rosa, and Teodoro Buenaventura, and in a minimal way,
Alvero, Rivera and pineda, the growth or at least the mobility of painting that was standstill. The reason
behind this stagnation was the fact that commerce was generally restricted during the period between
the Spanish rule commercial activity naturally disable the artist as far as source of revenue was
concerned. When finally the Americans established an occupation government, commerce became
much freer and resulted in a wider, circulation of money; logically, further enriching the rich, besides
affording some wealth to enterprising others. Employment increased since a new government required a
larger numbers of civil workers of various competence and categories. The upper crust of the group, as
well as the officer class of the arm forces., the majority of the clientele of the artists.
73
, IN THE PHILIPPINES
The circumstance vored the artists, especia.iy the younger ones who were struggling for recognition, for
it afforded them a means oflvelihood while steering their way uphill in painting.
This last factor was of prime importance. The artist, in any eriod and in any country, paints
because he is inclined to and because he has the capability to paint, How much time he devotes to
painting largely depends upon his immunity from the pressure of elemental needs. Often, if he has a
family but disregards the whims of his clients by insisting on his own ways, he becomes a poor provider;
or if he elects to be a good bread winner, his a suffers. Of course, there are happy exceptions. For
instance, com- ciai art has helped many artists hurdle the proverbial "first one hundred years," because
of its lucrative nature in the green field of advertising. By 1903 the Manila "art world" began to stir. The
first siga f life was manifested in the effort to form an association of a and conscionable laymen to
promote art and art activities such as art exhibits, discussions and seminars. In 1908. Rafael Enriquez,
with the assistance of other painters and nongsinters, organized the AsociacionInternacional de Artistas.
In the sane year, it spon- sored an exhibition at the "Bazar Filipino" on the Escolta. Prizes were awarded.
Vicente Rivera y.Mir garnered one of the two first prizes with his oil entry "El Sueño Dorado," a one
figure compos tion. It portrayed a matron caught in the spell ie on a hammoćk; her right hand resting on
the edge of the hammock held an old issue of the newspaper "La Independencia,' This par- ticular pose
was said to have been prompted by the painter's wife who custómarily whiled away her siesta time in a h
mmock in their house in Paco. In her siesta, she usually fist scanned the papers, read a little more until
she finally dozed off. This cxactly the scene that sparked the idea in Rivera's sensibility and so coimposed
the winning painting. The subject's eyes closed ing attitude. The painting was genre in execution;
however it was full of allegory. It symbolized, according to the painter himself was but eloquently she
was put on canvas in a realistically mas- e Filipino's dream of independence. It was a remarkably vivid
objectification of Taft's pronouncement: "The 콰itt pines for the ilipinos." The other first prize was won
by Gaston O'Farellrenchman who settled in the Philippines since his youth. The inning entry was a
painting of the artist's mother.
74
