I have been to the National Museum of Fine Arts twice before (back then it was known as the National Art Gallery), the first time for research for my architecture thesis (which was the National Museum itself) way back in 1982, the second for an article. Now, older and wiser, I was back for more art appreciation, bringing along my son Jandy, after making the necessary online reservation.
The present National Museum of Fine Arts now houses 29 galleries, most of which were offered to sponsors and patrons (Society for the Preservation of Philippine Culture, Fundacion Santiago and Museum Foundation of the Philippines), individuals (Vicente and Carmen Fabella; Luis I. Ablaza, Silvina and Juan Laya, Ramon and Milagros del Rosario, and Andres and Grace Luna de San Pedro) or corporations such as Security Bank, Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippine General Hospital and Philam Life, for the naming rights. Exhibitions comprise important works of unknown artists of the 18th century, 19th century Filipino masters, National Artists, leading modern painters of the 1990s to the 21st century, sculptors, and printmakers. Also on view are art loans from other government institutions, organizations, and individuals.
When one thinks of Philippine art the first name that usually pops up is the name of Juan Luna and rightly so because, upon entering the museum, the first room you’ll see is the Spoliarium Hall, the namesake for the massive, 4 meters tall and 7-meter wide painting depicting dying gladiators. This renowned painting, which took Luna eight months to paint, won the gold medal at the Madrid Exposición Nacional de Bellas Artes in 1884. Across from it is El asesinato del Gobernador Bustamante by Felix Resurrecion Hidalgo, Luna’s contemporary and friend. More major works and oil studies of the two, including the 1892 painting Parisian Life (depicting Luna himself, Jose Rizal, and Ariston Bautista Lin having a discussion about the Philippines at a cafe in Paris), one of Juan Luna’s most celebrated works, can be seen in Gallery VI.
Then there’s Guillermo Tolentino, a National Artist for Sculpture (1973). Even before the Old Legislative Building became a museum, his bronze statues of Presidents Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio Osmeña have graced the building’s west facade. Even upon entering, you are welcomed, at the lobby, by his statues of Manuel A. Roxas and Diwata. Gallery XII is also solely devoted to his work and memorabilia.
For religious art, go to Gallery I, which features Christian-themed art from the 17th-19th centuries, Gallery II which features 14 paintings depicting the Stations of the Cross (Via Crusis), and Gallery III which exhibits the paintings that show images of saints and the Holy Family. For portraits, check out Gallery IV, which exhibits more than 30 Spanish-era portraits that showcase the status of the living and memories of the dead, and Gallery IX which features a collection of works of portraiture and Filipino types by artists under the Classical Realist School during 1903 to 1960 and works of artists that are the pioneer and prolific during that period. Our National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal was an artist in his own right and Gallery V displays sculptures and paintings made him. Also on display are paintings, portrait busts, and sculptures of Rizal created by other artists.
Gallery VIII, dubbed as the “War Gallery,” may be disturbing to some viewers due to its violent and graphic scenes as it features 20 paintings (including three by National Artist Fernando Amorsolo) by Filipino artists that shows the painful and hard life during the Imperial Japanese Occupation during 1941 to 1945, the liberation of the Philippines by American and Filipino forces and the damage that happened in Manila during World War II. For more of Amorsolo, go to Gallery XI which features over 100 black-and-white pencil and ink sketches and oil studies of Amorsolo before creating his masterpiece.
If you haven’t had your fill of large-scale paintings after the Spoliarium, then check out National Artist Carlos V. “Botong” Francisco’s monumental, 1968 painting of called Timbulan ng Laya at Diwang Dakila (declared a National Cultural Treasure in 1996), at Gallery XIII (also features works by 1976 National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon V. Abueva), and The Progress of Medicine in the Philippines, a set of four large-scale paintings that depict the evolution of healing practices in the Philippines, from the pre-colonial period tribal practices to the modern period, at Gallery XVI.
Gallery XXIV features commissioned 1960s artwork that previously adorned the auditorium of the Philam Life Building (United Nations Avenue, Ermita) in the form of seven large paintings by National Artist Vicente S. Manansala and rural-themed wood reliefs by renowned sculptor, Jose P. Alcantara. A larger-scale Alcantara wood relief, as well as his other sculptures, can also be found in Gallery XVI. Manansala’s two large-scale paintings and their watercolor studies, from the collection of IRRI, and works from the National Fine Arts Collection and the GSIS art collection, are found at Gallery XXII and Gallery XXIII, respectively.
The Pillars of Philippine Modernism are featured in Gallery XIV (Philippine modern art from the 1920s-1970s, most notably Victorio C. Edades, an artist who started the Modern Art in the Philippines) and Gallery XVIII (featuring Modernist art pieces from the 1940s to 1980s, with works by a number of National Artists such as Carlos V. “Botong” Francisco, Jose T. Joya, Cesar T. Legaspi, and Abdulmari Asia Imao).
Gallery XV is dedicated to the life and works of Emilio Aguilar Cruz while Gallery XXI features National Artist Federico Aguilar Alcuaz’s Art Protis (or non-woven tapestry). Gallery VII, Gallery XVII (dedicated to Women’s Art), Gallery XXVII, and Gallery XXVIII are Special Exhibition Halls while Gallery XIX houses the Philippine Modern Sculpture Hall. Also, check out the Senate Session Hall whose ornamentation and decoration was done by Isabelo Tampinco. The President Sergio Osmeña Function Hall houses the Madonna with Angels (ca. 1946), a plaster relief by Francesco Riccardo Monti.
Image credits: Benjamin Locsin Layug