Arts & Leisure
By Nickky Faustine P. de Guzman, Reporter
A glimpse of the Gilded Age
Posted on June 29, 2016
THERE’S an ongoing exhibit at the Leon Gallery in Makati for millennials. There’s nothing exactly millennial about it, but the display called Filipinos in the Gilded Age is a look back -- even forward -- to what is “us.”
“A lot of the young kids have forgotten who we are. There has been a lot of information overload for everyone. We want to showcase the distinguishing thing of 19th century; the whole idea of nationhood.”
On view until July 30, the exhibit shows paintings -- many previously unseen in the Philippines -- by the late 19th century Illustrados including Juan Luna, Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo, Damian Domingo, Rafael Martinez, Miguel Zaragoza, Felix Martinez, and Manuel Espiritu.
“The Illustrados (enlightened ones) brought back all these things for us to chew on. All the guys who did the most significant acts were in their ‘millennial days.’ Jose Rizal must have been in his 20s when he wrote Noli Me Tangere. The millennials today have to be informed about this. The information is not only what you find on Google,” said Ms. Manahan.
A separate room highlights furniture and ivory sculptures “of our great Filipino master crafters during the Galleon Trade, all made and exported for the Spanish market,” said gallery owner, Jaime Ponce de Leon.
“It’s showcasing who we were in 19th century, all these were produced by the enlightened ones who traveled for education and [were] at par with the best. Here they are, it shows magnificence,” said Mr. Ponce de Leon.
WHO IS THE FILIPINO?
The gallery was purposely made to look the 19th century rooms where the painting were first seen, painted with “all shades of goose shit” like green, light green, and cream, which were the colors of the era, said Ms. Manahan, who painted the details in the wall. She said foie gras was becoming popular then, hence the color.
On one side is a simulation of Juan Luna’s studio in Paris.
“It is exposure. It is experimental. The room is total immersion. This is what Pinoys looked like before,” Ms. Manahan said, smiling.
There has always been an endless debate on who are the Filipinos, she said.
“The thing is, a lot of Pinoys still think that our ancestors are itas (Aetas). Maybe if you are from that region, yes. But if you’re not, I know my ancestors are not Aetas. Somewhere along the line, there’s Chinese... I mean we are all of the above, and that’s what makes us, Filipinos, unique.”
A controversial work encapsulated best the debate Ms. Manahan was trying to explain.
Placed at the gallery entrance is a painting called the Habitantes Indigenos ante de la Reina Regente en la Exposicion General de las Yslas Filipinas de Madrid, 1887 by an unknown painter. It shows indigenous Filipinos presented to the Queen Regent, Maria Cristina, at the Exposition of the Philippine Islands held in Madrid’s Zoological Gardens.
“Probably [it is made by] a court painter who happened to be allowed inside when the Filipinos were presented as natives to the Queen of Spain. The queen is Maria Cristina, a widow at the time [hence she was in black.] If you noticed the natives, they were asked to wear pants, except the two who even did not want to bow,” she said.
The painting shows a group of Ifugao men bowing to the Queen. Some wear salakot (a native hat), and all are wearing G-strings over a piece of cloth that covered their privates. But two Ifugao men, with G-strings only, remain standing at the back.
The exposition was controversial. A part of the exhibition was dedicated to Philippine fine arts, where the paintings by Illustrados like Luna and Hidalgo were highly regarded by the Europeans. But on the other hand, some say the fair was meant to humiliate. According to the book The Embarrassment of Slavery: Controversies over Bondage and Nationalism in the American Colonial Philippines by Michael Salman, Jose Rizal and Antonio Luna condemned the exposition.
It said: “The Madrid Exposition, however, put live Igorots on display. Illustrados objected that this was an assault on human dignity and a misrepresentation of the Philippines.”
Asked how he obtained got the controversial painting, Mr. Ponce de Leon said: “[I’m always interested in] anything about the Philippines or Filipino artists. Someone alerted me about this. I was brought to a home in Barrio Salamanca in Madrid. I saw it there, and, wow, just wow.”
Always on the lookout for Filipino arts whenever he travels, he acquired the items on exhibit over the past seven years.
“Everything or anything Filipino, I really try to get even if they are not attractive. But it’s a bonus if it’s a recognized subject, like Telesforo Chuidian. But, yeah, it’s just repatriating what belongs to us. They should be [brought] back.
“With hope, there are other treasures that may be found,” he added, saying that all the items were from travels, private markets, and auctions, that, “to me, are all authentic.”
“The burden of truth is on their side to prove that they are fake,” Mr. Ponce de Leon said.
AND OTHER THINGS
Among the items on exhibit are Luna’s paintings on gypsies and his travels in Paris. Some paintings were commissioned by European royalty and the upper-crust. But as far as Mr. Ponce de Leon is concerned, one of the most interesting pieces is a portrait of Telesforo Chuidian painted by Felix Martinez. Chuidian, a Chinese businessman, was one of the biggest financiers of the Philippine Revolution.
“I got to find out from Tats [Manahan] and Liza [Nakpil, her co-curator] that he fathered a lot of children. He’s the ancestors of a lot of people we know, some are our friends. He’s the model of Kapitan Tiago in Noli Me Tangere. Isn’t it interesting? Even their descendants are happy to know about this and they’re sharing it on Facebook,” said Mr. Ponce de Leon.
Besides the paintings themselves, the frames surrounding them are also noteworthy.
“Some of the frames are original; we did not purposely match it to show that it’s restored. Some are 24-karat gold,” said Ms. Manahan.
The decorative motifs of the 19th century were “Turkish tulips, peacocks, and peahens,” she added. While the majority of the frames were gilded, Hidalgo opted for framing his paintings in simple brown wood.
Also on view are a number of ivory objet d’art which were sourced from Spanish and French collectors. The items, made from ivory sourced in Thailand, then carved here in the Philippines, showcase the makers’ careful and intricate artisanship.
“The ivories were from Thailand and were carved here. They were for import, in Spain. Jaime [Ponce de Leon] is repatriating them. Don’t they make you proud to be Pinoy?,” said Ms. Manahan.
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