ART DURING AMERICAN COLONIAL REGIME

up to the JAPANESE OCCUPATION

Prepared by: Abundo, Andrea Rose

 The Philippine-American War, 1899–1902
• The 1896 Philippine Revolution paved the way to the country’s independence
from Spain.
• But it became a short-lived liberty when the Americans became the country’s new
invaders.
• After more than three centuries of Spanish rule, the Americans came. They set out
to conquer the Filipinos through education and governance – the public school
system and a system of government.
• Spain ceded its longstanding colony of the Philippines to the United States in the
Treaty of Paris.
 IN THE FIELD OF ARTS…
• With the arrival of the new colonial power came a shift in art
patronage – from the native ilustrados to the Americans.
• The new patrons, including the tourists and foreign investors, favored
landscapes, still life, and genre themes that show the beauty of the
land and its people. Portraits were still favored by the public officials,
usually depicting them in dignified poses.
• Painting themes still largely favored Genre Paintings, Landscapes and
Still Life; Portraits are reserved for high ranking officials with a more
academic approach to make the subject more formal.
 Fabian dela Rosa (1869 -1937)
• He is the "MASTER OF GENRE”
• was the first painter of note for the 20th century.
• He was noted for his realistic portraits, genre, and
landscapes in subdued colors.
• He was enrolled at the Escuela de Bellas Artes y
Dibujo and took lessons from Lorenzo Guerrero.
• De la Rosa is often considered the brightest name in
Filipino painting and certainly the most important for
the first quarter of the century.
• In 1937, De la Rosa’s ever faithful wife, Gorgonio,
died of cancer. Sadness seemed to follow the old
master. De la Rosa himself lived less than a year
afterwards, suffering from kidney disease. He died on
December 14, 1938.
• School of Fine Arts of UP was established in 1909 with
Fabian dela Rosa as its first Dean
 “Young Filipina”,
1928

“Washing by the river”,

1920

“Planting Rice”,
1921

In 1904, de la Rosa won his first gold medal for Planting Rice, in
the St. Louis Exposition. Four years later, in 1908, when the
University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts was founded, de la
Rosa received a scholarship from the Germinal Cigar Factory to
study in Europe as a scholar.
 Fernando Amorsolo y
Cueto (1892 – 1972).
• First National Artist of the Philippines for painting, grew up during a
time of transition for the country (1972)
• His paintings, bursting with yellow-orange and golden sunlight,
captured the Philippine landscape in all its glory.
• If de la Rosa’s work were of subdued, cool colors, then Amorsolo’s
landscapes are bathe in the glorious Philippine sunlight.
• He is the first and among the few Filipino painters who have
captured the different striking colors and character of the country’s
magnificent sunlight.
• Besides his landscapes, Amorsolo also idealized the rural life of the
working men and women.
• He was 25 years old when he married his first wife, Salud Jorge. It
was also at that time, right after they had their first child Virginia,
when Don Enrique Zobel, already a prominent businessman,
commissioned Amorsolo to create the artwork for Ginebra San
Miguel.
• Amorsolo’s sketches and studies are estimated to number over
10,000 pieces.
 “Crossing the river”,
1924

“Water Maiden”, 1935

Amorsolo displays his mastery
of light and color, combined
with his faithfulness to the
painterly style.

“The Bathers”, 1953

Which is representative of one of Amorsolo’s favorite themes:

maidens in the water. Here, Amorsolo displays his masterstroke
and most difficult technique: the effervescent sunlight as it
reflected on the movement of the clear water.
“Under the Mango
Tree”, 1952
His most expensive piece
to ever sell on auction
which sold for
P46,720,000 in 2018.

“Dalagang Bukid” (Woman

with Banga) , 1926

“The Making of the Philippine Flag”

 Guillermo Estrella Tolentino (1890 – 1976)
• The National Artist Awards for Sculpture in 1973.
• He is consider as the "Father of Philippine Arts“ because of his great
works like the famous "Bonifacio Monument" symbolizing Filipinos
cry for freedom and "The Oblation" in UP signifying academic
freedom
Awards given to Guillermo Tolentino
• 1959 – UNESCO Cultural Award in Sculpture
• 1963 – Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan Award
• 1967 – Republic Cultural Heritage Award
• 1970 – Presidential Medal of Merit
• 1972 – Diwa ng Lahi Award
• 1973 – National Artist of the Philippines for Visual Arts in Sculpture
 “The Bonifacio Monument”, 1933

“The Oblation”, 1930

The symbol of the country’s premiere
State University, reflects the classical
ideals – discipline, order, symmetry, and
restraint.

“Venus”, 1951 Beautiful original lithograph

“Filipinos Illustres”, 1911
representing a composite portrait
of 13 national heroes. Engraved by
national artist Tolentino when he
was 21 years old and printed in
1500 copies
 Pablo Cueto Amorsolo (1898 – 1945)
• He was the younger brother of the Philippine National Artist
Fernando Amorsolo.
• A Filipino painter.
• He was sentenced and executed by firing squad in the hands of
guerillas. He died in this manner at Antipolo, Rizal
• Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare in which small groups of
combatants, such as paramilitary
• An admirer of classical art, Amorsolo was also a strong advocate of
modern art.
• During the 1930s, he drew and painted may editorial illustrations
for Philippine magazines such as the Graphic, Tribune, La
Vanguardia, Herald, and Manila Times.
 “Ferdinand Magellan
and Natives”

“Limpia Botas”

“Fruit Vendor”

“Manila Bay”,1943
Filipino Architecturein the American
Commonwealth Period
(1898-1946)
American Period (Various Typologies)
• Italianate
• Victorian
• Mission Revival
• Neoclassic
• Neo-Gothic
• Neo-Renaissance
• Art Deco
• Streamlined Deco
• Bauhaus
 Italianate
• A style which originated in Western Europe in circa 1840-1885 reviving the
elements of the Italian Renaissance Architecture of the 16th Century with;

• square cupolas or towers

• elaborate classical detailings
• wide overhanging eaves with closely-spaced decorative brackets;
• tall and narrow square or arched windows
• L-shaped plans
• arcaded porches with balustrades
• low-pitched or flat roof
Villa Lizares (now Angelicum School) in Iloilo
Salomónica columns
• A type of column with a shaft carved into
twisted Or spiral form.
• also called barley-sugar column
 Victorian
• A style in Europe during the reign of Queen Victoria in Great Britain (1837-1901)
reviving and/ or combining the elements of Gothic and Italianate styles such as;

• steep gabled roof and dormers

• cone-shaped turrets or square tower with mansard roof
• intricate or richly ornamented paneling, trusses, and braces
• paneled exterior walling with either horizontal, vertical, or diagonal design
• and wide overhanging eaves with exposed rafters ends
Siliman University “Hall” (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental)
“Eastern Stick Style” of American Architecture in the PH
• cast iron columns and ornate
metal pan ceiling salvaged from
the debris of a theater in New
York.
 Mission Revival
• An architecture movement which originated in the US at the end of the 19th
Century reviving and/ or employing the elements of Spanish Colonial Revival Style.

• This had been widely used in California characterized by;

• Use of low-pitched roof
• Stucco finish exterior walls
• Wide eaves with closely spaced exposed rafter end
• Frontispiece with exposed gable wall
• Imposing square towers with pyramidal roof
PNU Normal Hall
 PNU Normal Hall

QUATREFOIL
WINDOW

BRACKETED BALCONETTE
CORNICE
MISSION DORMER
 Neoclassical
• A style which orginated in Europe and in the US from 1885-1925 reviving and
combining the Greek and Roman Classical Architecture with the ideas of
Renaissance Architecture.

• Also known as Classical Revival or Beaux Arts Classicism, this style incorporates;
• grandiose symmetrical compositions and façade,
• Colonnaded portico with grand stair and imposing columns
• Balustraded balconies
• Pronounced cornices and entablatures,
• Triangular pediment
MANILA POST OFFICE, MANILA
MANILA POST OFFICE, MANILA

ENTABLATURE

COLUMNS

BASE BLOCK
PAMBANSANG MUSEO, MANILA
PAMBANSANG MUSEO, MANILA

TRIANGULAR PEDIMENT

ENTABLATURE

COLONNADED
PORTICO
 Neo Gothic
• A style which originated in Europe and used in the PH in the later part of the 19th
Century reviving the architecture vocabulary of Gothic architecture. In includes;

• Lofty facades
• Pointed arches
• Soaring spires
• Ribbed vaulting
• Flying buttress
• Rich ornamentation and tracery
INC LOCAL CHURCHES
INC LOCAL CHURCHES

Soaring spires

Pointed arches
San Sebastian Church, Manila
 San Sebastian Church, Manila

Ribbed vaulting

Soaring spires

Ornamentation

Flying buttress
 Neo-Renaissance
• A style which originated in Italy during the period of architectural style revival in
the 19th Century which has been characterized by;

• Hip type tiled roof with low-pitched or inclination

• Eaves with supporting decorative brackets
• Employment of details such as columns, pilasters, pediments, quoins,
• and arches
• And often symmetrically balanced
 Old Ayuntamiento de Manila
Supreme Court

Ayuntamiento de Manila
 Old Ayuntamiento de Manila
Supreme Court

Columns

Symmetrically balanced

Decorative brackets

Ayuntamiento de Manila Quoin

American Bridges in
the Philippines
 Japanese occupation of the Philippines (1941 – 1945)
• On December 8, 1941, Japan invaded the Philippines.
• Clark Air Base in Pampanga was first attacked and also Nichols Field outside Manila was attacked,
then on December 22, The Japanese forces landed at the Lingayen Gulf and continued on to
Manila.
• General Douglas MacArthur declared Manila an open city on the advice of commonwealth
President Manuel L. Quezon to avoid its destruction.
• Manila was occupied by the Japanese on January 2, 1942.
• The joint American and Filipino soldiers in Bataan surrendered on April 9, 1942. The 76,000
captured soldiers were forced to embark on the infamous "Death March" to a prison camp more
than 100 kilometers north.
• Representatives from Tarlac, Pampanga and Nueva Ecija threshed out various details regarding
their organization, which they agreed to call "Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa mga Hapon" or
HUKBALAHAP.
 IN THE FIELD OF ARTS…
• Philippine Literature was interrupted in its development when we
were again conquered by another foreign country, Japan.
• Except for the Tribune and the Philippine Review, Pillars, Free
Philippines, and Filipina, almost all newspapers in English were
stopped by the Japanese.
• During this time, there was no freedom of speech and of the
press.
• There were some efforts at escapist literature, but in general, the
literary output was minor and insignificant. Because of strict
censorship, few literary works were printed during the war years.
• The weekly Liwayway was placed under strict surveillance until it
was managed by a Japanese named Ishiwara
• The only contact with the outside world was done with utmost
secrecy through the underground radio program called “Voice of
Freedom”.
 IN THE FIELD OF ARTS…
LITERATURE
• The only Filipino writers who
could write freely were those
who were living in the United
States.
• Most writers and authors were
lead to either go underground
or write in Tagalog.
• So, Filipino literature was given
a break during this period.
• Filipino literature also
experienced renewed attention
because writers in English
turned to writing in Filipino.
DRAMA MUSIC
• The drama experienced a lull • Japanese music was heard daily
during the Japanese period in radio broadcasts. Their
because movie houses showing songs were also taught in
American films were closed. public schools.
• The big movie houses were just • The first was a Japanese
made to show stage shows. Musical Mission to the
Many of the plays were Philippines held on May 7,
reproductions of English plays 1943, with the support of the
to Tagalog. New Philippine Musical
Federation headed by Kosak
Yamada.
POETRY..
1. HAIKU
• a poem of free verse that the Japanese liked. It is made up of seventeen (17) syllables divided into
three (3) lines. The first line has five, the second – seven and the third – five. It is allegorical in
meaning, short and covers a wide scope in meaning.

2. TANAGA
• like the haiku, it is short, but has measure and rhyme. Each line has seventeen syllables and is also
allegorical in meaning.

3. KARANIWANG ANYO
• the usual and common form of poetry
HAIKU by Gonzalo K. Flores
TUTUBI ANYAYA
(Dragonfly)
Ulilang damo
Hila mo'y tabak… Sa tahimik na ilog
Ang bulaklak nanginig Halika, sinta.
Sa paglapit mo.
INVITATION
Dragonfly Lonely grass
You’re pulling a saber By the quiet river
The flowers shivered Come, love.
When you approached.
TANAGA ni Ildefonso Santos
PALAY KABIBI

Palay siyang matino Kabibi, ano ka ba?

Nang humangi’y yumuko, May perlas maganda ka
Ngunit muling tumayo, Kung idiit sa tainga
Nagkabunga ng ginto. Nagbubuntunghininga

SHELL
PALAY
He’s a behaved palay
Shall, hey!
Who bowed when the
You’re a beautiful pearl
wind blew
If you are pressed to the
But stood up again ears
And bore gold You sigh.