PANGANTUCAN BUKIDNON COMMUNITY

COLLEGE
Poblacion, Pangantucan, Bukidnon 8717 Philippines
SB Ordinance No. 41 series of 2015
CHED En Banc Resolution No. 421-201
Institutional Code No. 10125

Reading in Philippine History

Module Outputs

Submitted by: Pamela Mae Balsamo

Submitted to: Mr. Eric Bray Macanim

Name: Pamela mae Balsamo Course, Year, and Section: BECED 1A

Subject: Readings in Philippine History Date: April, 2022

WORKS OF LUNA AND AMORSOLO

Juan Luna, the older brother of General Antonio Luna, was one of the many celebrated Filipino painters of Philippine
history. He excelled in the classical style as manifested in his works showing figures in theatrical poses, creating classical
balance in his paintings. Being exposed to the European culture, he portrayed the European way of life in some of
his works like the La Madrileña and The Parisian Life. He also did paintings on the Spanish and Roman history as
shown in The Battle of Lepanto and the well-renowned gold medalist Spoliarium. In his career, he adapted the
European manner of painting which focused on literary scenes, like Hymen o Hymenee and The Roman Dames, and
historical events, like The Blood Compact and the award-winning The Death of Cleopatra. He often incorporated
allegories and political commentaries to most of his artworks just like when he painted España y Filipinas to represent
the Filipino propagandists’ desires for reform, equality, modernization, and economic improvement in the Philippines
through the guidance — not the control — of the Spaniards. He also depicted the beauty of the Filipino women in his
paintings like La Bulaqueña and Tampuhan. Receiving his first international award for The Death of Cleopatra made him a
well-known Filipino artist all over Europe and the world. From then on, his works garnered successive international
recognitions and his career as an artist flourished. Later, he would participate in the revolution as one of the many
political activists that time. Meanwhile, Fernando Cueto Amorsolo, titled as the “Grand Old Man of Philippine Art,” was
the first Filipino to be recognized as a National Artist of the Philippines. Growing up in the small town of Daet, his simple
rural life reflected most of his masterpieces portraying pastoral sceneries. After earning his degree in Arts, he went to
Spain and the United States and came back the master of the backlighting technique which became his striking
trademark. Still focusing his artworks on the simple life in the countryside, Amorsolo painted well-illuminated
landscapes showing traditional Filipino customs, culture, fiestas, and ordinary occupations as seen in his Planting Rice,
The Palay Maiden, and many others. He also gave importance to the beauty of a Filipina, highlighting simple yet
good-looking faces and well-shaped bodies in his nude sketches, as well as in the Lavanderas and Women by the
Stream. Other than that, he also did portraits of prominent individuals like Manuel Roxas and himself, in addition to
historical events like The Making of the Philippine Flag. At the peak of his career, the Philippines was dragged into the
Second World War and his life as an artist was greatly affected. From here, his artworks portrayed human suffering,
despair, grief, and tragedy, just like in his Defense of a Filipina Woman’s Honor and The Burning of Manila. He went
back to his usual art style years after the war ended. Hereafter, he garnered numerous awards and citations, being
recognized as the most influential artist of his time. For Luna, he was able to prove to the world how Filipinos deserved
to be acclaimed for their brilliancy, treated equal with foreigners in terms of talents, and not called as “indios” just like
how the Spanish colonizers treated them. As to Amorsolo, his artworks were reflections of the hard work of the
Filipino obreros and testimonies of the purity and peace of the rural areas where happiness and love is fostered even by
living a simple life. Though both artists belonged to different eras in the historical timeline of the country, Juan
Luna and Fernando Amorsolo became symbols of the greatness of the Filipinos, not only for their art, but because of
their love for the motherland and its people as shown in their paintings.