Donita Jewel Linga ACTIVITY NO.

1
GRADE 12 – STEM

ASSESSMENT:
1. What do these paintings share in common?
- As we can observe, both portraits feature women exhibiting their
respective cultures at the time that they were painted. Landscapes
serve as the backdrop for both subjects. Both subjects'
socioeconomic class may be easily discerned in the artwork, with
the Palay Maiden belonging to the lower class and Mona Lisa to
the upper middle class. The subjects' faces are both frontal in both
portraits, which offers a feeling of the subject's individuality. The
subjects' bodies, on the other hand, are not totally looking
forward, implying a hint of mystery beneath their characters. If
we dig deeper into their meanings, we'll find that they both
represent a distinct culture: the Palay maiden portrays a Filipina
beauty carrying new harvest to symbolize the hope for a rising
nation, whereas the La Gioconda depicts a visual representation
of the idea of happiness suggested by the word "gioconda" in
Italian. To sum it up, both paintings depicted a feminine
demeanor, showing the culture of their respective countries and
times.

2. How differently did Amorsolo treat the subject?

- Through it details. Amorsolo's pieces are well renowned for
depicting traditional Filipino customs, culture, fiestas, and
occupations. His pastoral works contributed to the creation of
Filipino national identity by presenting "an imagined sense of
nationhood in contrast to American colonial rule." Amorsolo
eschewed Western ideas of beauty in favor of Filipino values in
his paintings of Filipina ladies. He was able to showcase the
 simple daily living of a Filipino by depicting a scene of Filipinos
working in the farm. The comforting smile of the country maiden
gives warmth and symbolizes hope and the blessing of good
harvest. Amorsolo did not showcase the Filipina beauty alone but
also the fact that Filipinas can do labor work along with the men.
He decided to break away from the idea that women are only for
household chores and taking care of homes. Amorsolo’s art is a
celebration of the harmonious and productive collective effort of
both Filipino men and women.

3. What makes the palay maiden truly Filipino?

- With the long history of colonization and foreign influence on the
Philippine culture, arguments about the Filipino authenticity of
various artworks have risen. According to Leo Benesa, “The idea
was that the depiction of scenes of everyday life and the
surroundings without idealizing them was closest in spirit to the
Filipino soul and native soil.”

In accordance with the earlier statement, it can be said that Palay

Maiden is an authentic Filipino art. The featured painting is
considered a masterpiece for the subtlety of its encoded messages
and later became national pride. In stark contrast to the increasing
westernization of the urban capital Manila, this work is a
celebration of the pristine, rural Philippine countryside. The
scene is bathed in sunlight and features a country maiden, smiling
while harvesting palay (grain/rice) which is the symbol of the
country’s most staple crop, along with her fellow farmers. This
shows a part of Filipino custom such as bayanihan or working
together. Moreover, farming is one of the most common scenes
when talking about ideas of everyday life for Filipinos. Fernando
Amorsolo also rejected the western ideals of beauty and rather
aimed to achieve the “Philippine version of the Greek ideal for
human form”, basing the faces of his subjects to the faces of his
family members.

“My conception of an ideal Filipina beauty is one with a rounded

face, not of the oval type... The eyes should be exceptionally
lively… The nose should be of the blunt form but firm and
strongly marked… The ideal Filipino beauty should have a
sensuous mouth…not…white-complexioned, nor of the dark
brown color…but of the clear skin…which we often witness
when we meet a blushing girl.”

For Amorsolo, the Filipino beauty was an important symbol of

national identity. The blue kerchief, red skirt, and white blouse
worn by the maiden represented the colors of the national flag.
The subject gazes directly at the viewer, holding a generous
bundle of newly harvested rice, a hope-filled moment for the
young Philippines. This artwork has been a symbol of hope and
gratitude for the country.
References

(MPHR), M. (2010, April 21). Fernando Amorsolo's Smiling Plain

Maiden (Palay
Maiden). Retrieved from
http://manilapophits.blogspot.com/2010/04/fernandoamorsolos-smiling-
plain-maiden.html

Ationgson. (2014, April 01). Ationgson. Retrieved from

https://ationgson.tumblr.com/post/81401515132/palay-maiden-1920-oil-
oncanvas-palay-is-tagalog

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2019, July 18). Mona Lisa.

Retrieved from
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mona-Lisa-painting

Farrell, J. (2017). Dark family history behind Mona Lisa's sad smile
revealed in new
book. Retrieved from
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/worldhistory/mona-lisa-
gherardini-book-people-and-the-painting-martin-kemp-andgiuseppe-
pallanti-florence-a7916991.html

Mona Lisa | Leonardo da Vinci. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/renaissance-reformation/high-
renflorence-rome/leonardo-da-vinci/a/leonardo-mona-lisa

Mona Lisa (La Gioconda) (1503-6). (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.visual-artscork.com/famous-paintings/mona-lisa.htm

VCM. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2020, from

http://masterpieces.asemus.museum/masterpiece/detail.nhn?objectId=104
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Self- Assessment

1. How is a medium a factor in representing the Filipino identity in a

work of art?

- In art, the term "medium" refers to the various materials or

supplies that an artist uses to make a work of art. Making a dress
or polo shirt with the identity of Asians or Filipinos is an example
of this. We can think of Barong Tagalog or Barong Ilonggo, also
known as patadyong, as one of our inspirations based on our
national costume. We'll use batik as our medium, which will be
tailored. With the help of this particular material, it can already
showcase our identity through its features.

2. Do you agree with Leo Benesa’s claim about Amorsolo’s works that
they are the most expressive of the ethos of the race and the
predominantly agricultural countryside? Explain your answer.

- I can say that I agree with Leo Benesa's claim of Amorsolo's art
as the most expressive of the ethos of race and predominantly
agricultural countryside, for I believe his works beautifully
represent his perspective on Philippine culture. Images of
Filipinos in fields appear throughout his art, which depicts the
typical backdrop in the Philippines, which is an agricultural
country. His works also highlight the various activities that
Filipinos engage in on a daily basis, such as farming, dining, and
socializing. Another feature of Amorsolo's work is that it
illustrates Filipinos' boundless joy and resiliency. In general,
Fernando Amorsolo's works exude optimism and enthusiasm.
That, in my opinion, is the best method to showcase the Filipino-
ness of an artwork.