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.