Women in Philippine art is the many forms of

art in the Philippines The Arts in the Philippines are all the arts in the Philippines, from the beginning of civilization to the present. They reflect a range of artistic influences on the country's culture, including indigenous art. Philippine art consists of two ...

that utilizes

women in the Philippines The role of women in the Philippines ( fil, Kababaihan sa Pilipinas) is explained based on the context of Filipino culture, standards, and mindsets. The Philippines is described to be a nation of strong women, who directly and indirectly run the ...

and even women from other parts of the world as the main subject depending on the purpose of the Filipino artist. The portrayal of women in the visual arts depend on the context on how Philippine society perceives women and their roles in human communities, such as their own.

Women in paintings

In the field of painting, Filipino visual artists depicted women in their painting as women who are influential and with authority, women who are engaged in domestic activities, and women who are shown to be under the control of influential

men in the Philippines Filipinos ( tl, Mga Pilipino) are the people who are citizens of or native to the Philippines. The majority of Filipinos today come from various Austronesian ethnolinguistic groups, all typically speaking either Filipino, English and/or other ...

or foreign men.

Amorsolo's women

In painting the faces and figures of Filipino women,

Philippine National Artist The Order of National Artists of the Philippines ( Filipino: ''Orden ng mga Pambansang Alagad ng Sining ng Pilipinas'') is an order bestowed by the Philippines on Filipinos who have made significant contributions to the development of Philipp ...

Fernando Amorsolo Fernando Cueto Amorsolo (born Fernando Amorsolo y Cueto; May 30, 1892 – April 24, 1972) was a portraitist and painter of rural Philippine landscapes. Nicknamed the "Grand Old Man of Philippine Art," he was the first-ever to be recognized as a N ...

(1892-1972) was able to develop his own template on how to paint and create Filipino women in his art: women with rounded faces but not oval, with "exceptionally lively eyes" (not dreamy or sleepy), with "firm and strongly marked" noses (not blunt in form), with clear skin and fresh color, not necessarily of white complexion nor of dark brown Malayan color. Amorsolo painted Filipino women that is similar to the stature of a "

blushing Blushing is the reddening of a person's face due to psychological reasons. It is normally involuntary and triggered by emotional stress associated with passion, embarrassment, shyness, fear, anger, or romantic stimulation. Severe blushing is ...

" girl.Paras-Perez, Rodriguez. ''Amorsolo Drawings''
excerpt available online
(1992), .

Luna's women

In contrast, Filipino painter, sculptor,

ilustrado The Ilustrados (, "erudite", "learned" or "enlightened ones") constituted the Filipino educated class during the Spanish colonial period in the late 19th century. Elsewhere in New Spain (of which the Philippines were part), the term ''gente de r ...

, propagandist, political activist and revolutionary hero

Juan Luna Juan Luna de San Pedro y Novicio Ancheta (, ; October 23, 1857 – December 7, 1899) was a Filipino painter, sculptor and a political activist of the Philippine Revolution during the late 19th century. He became one of the first recogniz ...

(1857–1899) painted women in a different light. In his painting known as ''

España y Filipinas ''España y Filipinas'' (“Spain and the Philippines") is a series of oil on wood paintingsHonasan, Alya B"España y Filipinas" by Juan Luna, Into the 21st Century, lopezmuseum.org.ph by Filipino painter, Ilustrado, and revolutionary activist, Jua ...

'' ("Spain and the Philippines", 1886), Luna used symbolism and allegory by rendering a taller and strong-shouldered maternal Spaniard woman (representing

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

and

colonialism Colonialism is a practice or policy of control by one people or power over other people or areas, often by establishing colonies and generally with the aim of economic dominance. In the process of colonisation, colonisers may impose their relig ...

) guiding a shorter, graceful and "humbly dressed" Filipino woman (representing the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

) towards the way to

progress Progress is the movement towards a refined, improved, or otherwise desired state. In the context of progressivism, it refers to the proposition that advancements in technology, science, and social organization have resulted, and by extension wi ...

.Ocampo, Ambeth
Juan Luna’s works
Looking Back, Inquirer Opinion/Columns, Inquirer, opinion.inquirer.net, October 24, 2007Arrizón, Alicia
Queering Mestizaje: Transculturation and Performance
pages 146-149, University of Michigan Press Tan, Clarissa
Acceptance, satire, rebellion
– the Philippine and Mexican exhibitions at the Singapore Art Museum show us the many ways artists deal with the powers that be, clarissa-tan.com Prolific in his career as a painter, Luna produced scenes that depict Philippine and European life. Luna's portrayal of European women can be seen in his ''

Las Damas Romanas ''Las Damas Romanas'' (literally, "The Roman Dames"), also known as ''The Roman Maidens'', ''The Roman Women'',Roman Women, 1882), the ''

Odalisque An odalisque (, tr, odalık) was a chambermaid or a female attendant in a Turkish seraglio, particularly the court ladies in the household of the Ottoman sultan. In western usage, the term came to mean the harem concubine, and refers to the ...

'' (1885), '' La Madrileña'' (The Woman from Madrid, c. 1880s), ''En el Balcon'' (At the Balcony, 1884), ''Picnic in Normany'' (c. 1880s), ''The Parisian Life'' (1892), ''Despues del Baile'' (After the Dance, c. 1880s), ''Street Flower Vendor'' (c. 1880s), '' Ensueños de Amor'' (Dreams of Love, c. 1890s), ''Mi Novia'' (My Girlfriend) and ''La Marquesa de Monte Bolivar'' (The

Marchioness A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman wi ...

of Monte Olivar, 1881). Luna's depiction of Filipino women can be viewed in ''

Tampuhan Silent treatment is the refusal to communicate verbally and electronically with someone who is trying to communicate and elicit a response. It may range from just sulking to malevolent abusive controlling behaviour. It may be a passive-aggressi ...

'' (1895), '' La Bulaqueña'' (The Woman from

Bulacan Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan ( tl, Lalawigan ng Bulacan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on August 15, 1578, and part of the Metr ...

, 1895), ''Nena y Tinita'' (Nena and Tinita, c. 1880s). Luna also painted a scene depicting

Egyptian women Egyptian describes something of, from, or related to Egypt. Egyptian or Egyptians may refer to: Nations and ethnic groups * Egyptians, a national group in North Africa ** Egyptian culture, a complex and stable culture with thousands of years of ...

in his ''

La Muerte de Cleopatra ''The Death of Cleopatra'' ( es, La muerte de Cleopatra), also known simply as ''Cleopatra'', is an 1881 oil painting on canvas by the Filipino painter Juan Luna, currently on display at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain. Depicting the death ...

'' (The Death of

Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Philopator ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ}, "Cleopatra the father-beloved"; 69 BC10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler.She was also a ...

, 1881).

Hidalgo's women

Félix Resurrección Hidalgo Félix Resurrección Hidalgo y Padilla (February 21, 1855 – March 13, 1913) was a Filipino artist. He is acknowledged as one of the greatest Filipino painters of the late 19th century, and is significant in Philippine history for having been an ...

(1855-1913), one of the great Filipino painters of the late 19th century, has his fair share of artistic contribution in painting historical female characters through the visual arts during his time. Hidalgo's '' Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho'' (Christian Virgins Exposed to the Mob, 1884) recounting the suffering that women has experienced during the period in ancient Roman history when the

persecution Persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or group by another individual or group. The most common forms are religious persecution, racism, and political persecution, though there is naturally some overlap between these term ...

Christians Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

Ancient Rome In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 B ...

occurred.Ocampo, Ambeth R
Las virgenes Cristianas expuestas al populacho, Jovenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho, Christian Maidens Exposed to the Populace)
Looking Back, Philippine Daily Inquirer, page 9, March 15, 2000. Presented in the masterpiece were two almost nude female slaves (symbolizing Filipino women), helpless and stripped of dignity, being auctioned to boorish and sexually-hungry Roman male onlookers.Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho by Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo
Appreciating Luna and Hidalgo, Looking Back, Philippine Daily Inquirer, page 9, February 14, 2001 Hidalgo also has a painting of a caucasian woman titled ''A lady in the Moonlight'' (undated).

Other painters

Fabián de la Rosa Don Fabián de la Rosa y Cueto (May 5, 1869 – December 14, 1937) was a Filipino painter. He was the uncle and mentor to the Philippines' national artist in painting, Fernando Amorsolo, and to his brother Pablo. He is regarded as a "master of ge ...

, the mentor and uncle of Fernando Amorsolo and his brother

Pablo Amorsolo Pablo Cueto Amorsolo (born Pablo Amorsolo y Cueto; June 26, 1898 – February 21, 1945) was a Filipino painter. He was the younger brother of the Philippine National Artist Fernando Amorsolo. Painter, sculptor, writer, revolutionary and Philippine national hero

José Rizal José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda (, ; June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896) was a Filipino nationalist, writer and polymath active at the end of the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines. He is considered the national he ...

(1861-1896) also used the theme of a woman of power in his sculptures. His clay sculpture known as ''

The Triumph of Science over Death ''The Triumph of Science over Death'', also known as ''Scientia'', is a clay sculpture made by José Rizal as a gift to his friend Ferdinand Blumentritt. The statue depicts a young, nude woman with flowing hair, standing on a skull while bearing ...

'' (also known as ''Scientia'', 1890) was a rendering of a naked and young woman with overflowing hair standing and trampling a skull while bearing a torch held high. The sculpture symbolized the ignorance of humankind during the Dark Ages. The torch being held by the woman signified the victory and enlightenment that humankind has received by vanquishing death through science., pp. 181-183 and 191. In another sculpture known as the ''Victory of Death over Life'' (1890), Rizal portrayed a woman that was limp and lifeless against the hold and embrace of a cloaked figure of a standing skeleton (the symbol of death). Rizal also sculpted another figure of a woman known as the ''Reclining Nude'' (1890). Rizal's technique of molding women into sculptures involved the rendering of the young female body as a representation of vitality and virtue. Rizal's "sculptured women", as described by Raquel A. G. Reyes in her book ''Love, Passion and Patriotism: Sexuality and the Philippine Propaganda Movement, 1882 - 1892'' were smooth, young, with unblemished condition, with traditional signs of long abundant and flowing hair on the head, with rounded conical breasts, and with absence of

pubic hair Pubic hair is terminal body hair that is found in the genital area of adolescent and adult humans. The hair is located on and around the sex organs and sometimes at the top of the inside of the thighs. In the pubic region around the pubis bon ...

on the genital area. This overall softness and fluidity were a contrasting effect against the hardness of the ''escayola'' material used by Rizal in sculpting these women. Rizal had drawn a sketch, using crayons, of his former girlfriend

Leonor Rivera Leonor Rivera-Kipping (née Rivera y Bauzon; 11 April 1867 – 28 August 1893)Martinez-Clemente, Jo (June 20, 2011Keeping up with legacy of Rizal’s ‘true love’''Inquirer Central Luzon'' at inquirer.net. Accessed 2011-12-03. was the childho ...

Women and sexuality in Philippine art

As one example of women in Philippine art, Rizal's three sculptures (as discussed above) were described by Raquel A. G. Reyes as a "rare representation of the insatiable female

sexuality Human sexuality is the way people experience and express themselves sexually. This involves biological, psychological, physical, erotic, emotional, social, or spiritual feelings and behaviors. Because it is a broad term, which has varied ...

that Rizal (...) attributed to the non-Filipino woman". Reyes further explained that Rizal did not want women in the Philippines to "imitate or to emulate" the foreign women, such as the European women of his time, who were the basis of his sculptures.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Women In Philippine Art Women in the Philippines Philippine art Women in art