National Artists of the Philippines

in the Field of Visual Arts

 Learning Objectives
 To get to know some of the national artists
of the Philippines in the visual arts field of
painting and sculpture and become
familiar with some of their works
 To gain appreciation on how their
masterpieces depicted Philippine history
and culture
Key Understanding
 Students will learn about the works of the
national artists of the Philippines in the field of
visual arts that can help them better appreciate
the cultural heritage of our country.

Key Question
 How did the works of these national artists
reflect the history, culture, tradition and
geography of the Philippine islands?
 Visual Art Fields:
Painting & Sculpture
 Visual Art Fields:
Painting & Sculpture

 Painting emphasizes form achieved through color

― intensity, saturation, brightness, contrast, and
the use of combinations in conveying the subject.
 Sculpture focuses on form achieved through
texture and dimension. They are never flat in
dimension and could be smooth, rough, soft,
hard, shiny, pointed, etc. depending on the texture
of materials used.
Filipino National Artists in the
Visual Arts
1. Fernando Amorsolo
Born in 1892, his artworks serve as
relics of the country’s history (eras
covering the Spanish, American,
and Japanese rules, up to the
1970s). His masterpieces showcase
rural landscapes which applied
light techniques (chiaroscuro) and
impressionistic brush strokes. One
of this is the now world-famous
Planting Rice series depicter here.
Filipino National Artists in the
Visual Arts
2. Guillermo E. Tolentino
Known as the father of
Philippine classical sculpture, he
immortalized in bronze and
stone the country’s greatest
symbols and heroes ― the
Bonifacio Monument, UP
Diliman’s Oblation, the Quezon
Memorial, the bronze medal of
the Ramon Magsaysay award,
and the seal of the Republic of
the Philippines.
Filipino National Artists in the
Visual Arts
3. Carlos “Botong” V.
Francisco
Post World War 2 painter
from Angono, Rizal who
was known for the vivid
and vibrant colors of his
expressionistic murals
about the country’s
historical events.
Filipino National Artists in the
Visual Arts
4. Napoleon Abueva
Known as the father of
Philippine modern
sculpture, he hails from
Bohol and became famous
for his artistic statues Blood
Compact, Nine Muses, Kiss
of Judas, and the
Transfiguration. The image
shows UP Diliman’s Nine
Muses.
Filipino National Artists in the
Visual Arts
5. Ben Cabrera
He is a mixed media
artist. A native of
Malabon, but an
adopted son of Baguio
and the Cordillera
region, he is famous
for the whimsical and
folksy quality of his
works.
 Culminating Activity

Opinion Essay and Painting Activity

1. Write an opinion essay (300 to 500 words)
answering the following questions: Which
do you prefer, classical painting or modern
painting? Why do you prefer this over the
other?
2. Then draw and paint an artwork illustrative
of the qualities of classical or modern
painting.