Art in the Philippines Quiz

Philippine Art History

• The Philippines has a rich cultural heritage, with art existing prior to the coming of colonizers, and this tradition has been passed down from generation to generation.
• The country's art history can be divided into four periods: Pre-colonial, Spanish Colonial, American Colonial, and Post-Colonial.

Pre-colonial Times (6185 BC to 1520 AD)

• The Philippines was made up of communities called barangays, which were highly civilized and artistically inclined.
• According to Angelita Perez, the usual theme of pre-colonial art is animism, depicting people's gods and goddesses.
• Artifacts from this period, such as the Flake tools and cobble tools, can be found in the Philippine National Museum.

Old Stone Age (450,000 - 6,000 B.C.)

• The earliest implements made by humans during this period were flake tools and cobble tools, which were used as knives and scrapers.
• Many of these tools were recovered in Tabon Caves, Palawan, and were made from chert, a hard stone commonly found in nearby riverbeds.

New Stone Age (Neolithic Period) (6,000 - 2,000 B.C.)

• Shells were fashioned into tools and ornaments during this period.
• The oldest known ornaments made from cone shells were found in the early 1960s in the grave of an adult male in Duyong Cave in Palawan.
• Rock art in the Philippines is rare, with samples found in Angono, Rizal, and is linked to a belief system and considered as symbolism rather than decorative.

Metal Age (2,000 B.C.- 1000 A.D.)

• Earthenware pots resembling human figures were found in Ayub Cave, in Pinol, Maitum, Saranggani Province.
• The jars used for secondary burial were dated to the Metal Age, around 5 BC.- 225 A.D.

American Colonial Period (1898-1946)

• The Americans introduced basic education and value formation, with an emphasis on following the "American way of life".
• This led to the introduction of new art forms, such as Art Illustration, Advertising, and Commercial Design.
• Painting themes during this period favored Genre Paintings, Landscapes, and Still Life, with Portraits reserved for high-ranking officials.

Notable Artists

• Juan Luna is known as the Father of Filipino paintings and the first Filipino to paint his self-portrait.
• Fernando Amorsolo was named the first National Artist Award in 1972.
• Pablo Amorsolo's painting "The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes" is an example of how visual arts were used as advertisement during the American Colonial period.
• Guillermo Tolentino was named National Artist in 1976 in the field of Sculpture.
• Antipas "Biboy" Delotavo is the creator of social realism painting entitled "Krista" in 1984.

Architecture

• San Sebastian Church has a New Gothic design.
• Miagao Church, also known as the Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Church, has a Baroque design.
• The Cultural Center of the Philippines was constructed in 1969.

Other Key Facts

• The Spoliarium, a painting by Juan Luna, won the gold medal in the 1884 Madrid Exposition of Fine Arts.
• The Flake tools and cobble tools were one of the first craftsmanship of the Old Stone Age.
• Rock art during the New Stone Age was believed by archaeologists to be symbolic rather than decorative.

Test your knowledge of art in the Philippines with questions about Church designs, Filipino painters, and National Artist Award recipients.