Chapter 2: THE EARLY BEGINNING OF ART IN THE

PHILIPPINES

First expression of art dated from 500,000 years ago

(prehistoric times) which pertains more to archaeology and
does not produce any aesthetic beauty or enjoyment.
Foreign traders played a major role in the development of art in
the Philippines. Trade potteries, porcelain and stoneware
proves an evidence of trading during protohistoric period with
Arab traders' and later by Chinese junks.
Most common finds made by Chinese are figurines, ceramics,
dishes, bowls, jarlets, vases and boxes. Chinese wares
produced in the 11th-13th centuries were exported to the
Philippines, Japan, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Various
decorations in Ming dynasty's blue and white have such motifs
as the lotus flower, flying-fish dragon and winged fish.
Philippine early Neolithic sites in Duyong cave and Tabon
cave complex (burial sites dated roughly 2680bc) yielded shell
ear pendants, polished stone adze and shell axe-adze.
Philippine late Neolithic site in Bato cave (Sorsogon) shows
jar-burial traditions associated with stone ornaments, pottery,
and stone tools.
Manunggul jar showed a characteristic of the metal age. This
period shows the development of glass technology and art of
weaving. Typical artifacts of early metal age includes beads
and bracelets made of glass. Beads made of agate, camelian,
amethyst, rock, crystal and sapphire. Jar burial was
continuously practiced by the tagbanuas of Palawan.

Late metal age typically includes camelian beads and potteries

with foot trays and elaborate jars with the boat of the dead on
its cover. Deemed as the golden age of the Philippine pottery
because pottery became sophisticated at this period.
Metal age was influenced by the neighboring countries
through trading. Dwellings are believed to be the prototype of
the Filipino rural homes.
Artworks commonly found on the jars were potteries, plates,
jarlets, necklaces, porcelains, stoneware, glass jewelry, iron
tools and weapons and many more.
Southwestern Philippine art
Mainly influenced by the Islamic culture specifically Maranaw,
Tausog, Maguindanao and Sama-Badjao.
Male art is predominantly curvilinear design, while female art
is largely geometric in form. Both art is an abstracted
decorative art that reduces nature (not realistic) to symbolic art.
Masculine decorative compositions are usually devised from
few basic motifs like circle, bird, leaf, and fern, and flower
while feminine form includes the cirlce, "artificial moon",
square, rectangle, diamond and zigzag.
Maranaw art commonly used the form "s" and represents the
serpent. The indigenous art "okil" of the people of Sulu
archipelago antedates the arrival of Islam.
It is said that when a Badjaw dies, the grave marker used was a
part of his boat frames.

Chapter 3: EARLY VISUAL WORKS OF ART IN OTHER

COUNTRIES
Asian Art
It is religious in nature.
India and Southeast Asia's arts have their sole theme focused
on the life of the gods, legendary heroes, and mythical beings.
Thailand - portrays the people's aim at serving and exalting
their faith.
India -art is a "concrete" example of religion. Taj Mahal is the
most famous architectural masterpiece of India.
Japan - displays purification and self-control. The essential
aim of Shintoism.
Indonesia - dance is a highly developed art and as a form of
entertainment. Bali dance is an aristocratic art that stresses
refinement of gestures. Bali and Djapara are famous for their
silver ware. Solo and Jojakarta for batik designs. Bandung for
ceramics. Bogo and Bangka for tinwork.
China - pottery is their oldest form of art. Vessels and other
objects cast in Bronze during Shang Dynasty. Glazed ceramics
objects during Hang Dynasty. Finest ceramics during Sung
Dynasty. Ceramics in floral and pictorial designs in cobalt
compound and in blue and white porcelain during Ming
Dynasty.

Persia (Iran) - artistry is depicted in color, design and weaving

skill of the rugs and carpets.
Calligraphy - art of writing beautifully.
*Muslim Countries - calligraphy supplies motifs and the style
to go with sculpture and architecture.
*China - used in pavilions, temples, and literatures.
*Japan - literatures.
Ancient Art
Knowledge of art during the prehistoric period is based on
archeological discoveries that begun with Paleolithic age
(10,000 BC) and developed consecutively through the
Mesolithic, Neolithic, Bronze and Iron ages.
Most of the archaeological findings in Europe have been made
along the Danube River in the East and in the caves of
Southern France and Spain.
Paleolithic Period - characterized by engraved bones and
ivory (reindeer or bison). Naturalism was predominantly
depicted.
Mesolithic and Neolithic Periods - had new tools with rugged
and utilitarian shapes and surfaces painted with simple
geometric patterns of dots, lozenges and whorls.
Neolithic and Bronze Periods - Stonehenge, England was
probably a sacred precinct for nature-worshipping rituals in a
circular with monolithic slabs of stone.

Egypt - exemplified by the pyramid used as tombs of the

pharaoh that symbolizes the supremacy of the pharaoh and the
stability of the state.
Mesopotamia (Iran and Iraq) - principal site of an ancient
Eastern civilization along the Euphrates and Tigris rivers.
Sumerian - architecture begins with reed and mud huts. Major
architectural contribution is the ziggurat, a pyramidal structure
with three diminishing stages surrounded by a temple.
Assyrian - symbolized by luxuriously-made palaces
constructed from brick and stone on an asymmetrical plan.
Archaemenian Persian - architectural style was eclectic
(combination of Egyptian and Assyrian elements). A famous
architectural structure was the Persepolis.
Sassanid Persian - its architecture was a synthesis of the
earlier types.
Other Middle Eastern Art - arts from migratory peoples like
the Scythians and nomadic tribes consisted of exquisitely
designed amulets, belts, buckles, and staff finials.
Aegean Civilization (Minoan) - greatest artistic achievement
in the city of Crossus are the elaborate palaces, asymmetrical in
plans. Rites to worship nature were performed in grottoes and
caves. Famous Lion Gate is the oldest European example of
sculpture.
GREECE

Distinguished by its concern with human values, its ideal

beauty and creative expressions of the human figures. Its
unique contributions are Naturalism and Idealism. Art turned to
literal and realistic imitations. Highest aim of the Greek art was
to improve nature. Greeks attained greatest achievements in
the arts of form-architecture and sculpture.
Fundamental Elements of Greek Architecture
a. Doric
b. Ionic
c. Corinthian
Temples were used for housing and protecting the divine
image. Parthenon reflects the Doric order. Temple of Poseidon
at Paestum is also in Doric order. Erechtheum Temple is of the
Ionic classical order. Choragic Monument to Lysicrates is an
example of the Corinthian order.
Greek architects also created the classic type of open-air
theater like the Theater of Epidaurus. Stadiums like the
Stadium of Delphi. Open markets like Agora.
Sculpture
- Individual life-size or larger figures created and dedicated to
honor the gods. Most popular was a nude male figure, standing
rigidly erect ith left foot advanced.
Among the famous leading sculptors and their works were:
1. Myron of Athens (Discuss Thrower)
2. Phidias of Athens (Athena Parthenos in Parthenon and
Olympian Zeus)
3. Praxiteles (Nude Venus Cnidus and male figures in graceful
and relaxed poses)

4. Lysippus (slender athletic figures of bronze)

and the Aldobrandini Marriage that all reflects the classical

tradition of ideal formal beauty.

Pictorial Arts
- Vase painting, fresco and mosaic. Murals (wall paintings).

Architecture
Roman important contributions to the development of
architecture are:
1. Structural Engineering developing concrete reinforced by
embedded brick arches and powerful materials for creating new
vaults.
2. Engineering Design in creating the balanced layout of the
great civic centers called forums.

Paintings, Ceramics and Minor Arts - vase making was well

developed by the Greeks.
Etruscan Art
- What is known about their art is based on the study of the
contents of their burial tombs. The walls of the tombs were
adorned with frescoes depicting genre, subjects, athletic events
and banqueting scenes. Wood and terra cotta were the principal
materials used in the construction of Etruscan temples that
houses the deity. Sculpture was generally of two types: terra
cotta works and bronze works.
Roman Art
- Style of artistic expression. Roman architecture has a brilliant
contribution to structural engineering and design influenced by
Greeks and Etruscans.
Painting - thousands of fine frescoes and mosaics were
discovered at Pompeii and Herculaneum buried by lava in the
eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. They revealed two different modes of
representation. First, style derived from Greeks emphasizes
mythological figures carefully outlined and solidly molded.
Lastly, style that created atmospheric perspective, the effects of
vast depths and distance. Some masterpieces of the period
were: The Odyssey Landscaper, A Naval Battle, Three Graces,

Roman architecture chiefly came from the Etruscans (broad flat

bricks and colorful terra cotta ornament) and Greeks. Famous
colosseum was built during the Flavian dynasty and served as a
model for large sports arenas as bull rings and football bowls.
Sculpture
- Romans excelled in three types of sculpture - portraits,
historical reliefs, and naturalistic ornaments. They reflect
realism, naturalism, and ostentation of ancient Latin. The
famous "Rose Columns" is an example of a beautifully
naturalistic rendering in marble of delicate blossoms, fruits,
and turning vine.

- Development of new material.

Chapter 4: PAINTING
What is painting?
- one of the fine arts that depicts various intrinsic values of man
through imaginative aggregation of lines and color that comes
from the artist's understanding and interpretation of his feelings
and emotions. What emerges is a beautiful expression of the
artist's inner feeling - sadness, happiness, fear, anger, anxiety,
stillness or peacefulness, turbulence or chaos.
Elements of Painting
- subject, medium, line, color, texture, volume, perspective,
form and style.
1. Subject - tells what of the piece of painting. What is the
painting about?
2. Medium - refers to the materials used by the artist in his
painting. Samples are fresco, water color, wood panel and
tempera. Emotions can be expressed by artists through their
paintings.
Evolution of Painting
Factors that influenced the history of painting
- Geography
- Religion
- National characteristics
- Historic events

Painting progresses slowly through the Medieval, Renaissance,

Mannerist, Baroque, Classic, Rococo, Neoclassis and Romantic
Periods.
Realistic and Naturalistic Painting
Realistic artists- portray objects sceneries, activities, and
figures as they have been seen and experienced.
Honor's Devonier's paintings communicate ideas and at the
same time they are masterpieces of design, form, receding and
advancing, planes and underlying patterns. His favorite
subjects are the life of the poor people, the washerwoman,
prostitute, the corrupt judge, and the venal attorney.
a. The Laundress - depicts a mother and child climbing up the
embankment.
b. Third Class Coach - people in boredom and discomfort as
they are riding the train destined to their places.
c. Rue Transnonain - entire family dead after some kind of
violence in a bedroom.
Gustave Courbet captures elements in society, connect them
and give them spiritual meaning.
a. Bonjour Monsieur Courbet - a painting of himself in shirt
sleeves.
b. Enternment A Ornans - peasant funeral in a country
churchyard.
c. L' Atelier - most controversial painting subtitled Real
Allegory.

Edouard Manet
a. Luncheon on the Grass - created the greatest sensation,
demonstrated his ability to blend clothed and nude figures with
landscape and instill life in the same picture.
b. Olympia
c. Absinthe Drinker
d. Gare St. Lazaro
American Artist also produced many excellent realistic
paintings in the 19th century.
Homer was an American artist whose great achievement was
painting loneliness, power and the danger of the sea. He
painted things with a directness and simplicity.
a. Breezing Up
One of the realistic-naturalistic painters in the Philippines is
Fernando Amorsolo known as the Father of Philippine
painting.
Impressionistic Painting
Impressionism - portrays the effects of experience upon the
consciousness of the artist and the audience. This is French and
thoroughly French. It shows features of "vagueness",
"fleeting", and "transitory".
a. Claude Monet - portrayed landscapes depicting sunlight
playing on water.
b. August Renoir - showed movement on human figures
especially women radiating vitality and health.

c. Camille Pissaro - called the village impressionist because he

painted peasant or countryside scenes.
d. George Seurat - used a technique called pointillism (using
dots) in his painting Sunday afternoon at the Grande Jatte.
Expressionistic Painting
- has its roots in Germany during the 20th century. The terms
that characterize this type of painting are "harsh," "brutal," and
"morbid." The artist uses free distortion of form and color
through which he gives visual form to inner sensations or
emotions that could be described as involving pathos,
morbidity, violence or chaos and tragedy.
a. Van Gogh - The Starry Night, depicts his violence and
subjective attitude. He expressed in canvas turbulent spirit in
strong color and writhing forms.
b. Earnest Ludiurg Kirchner - portrays his emotion and
experience with large, simple forms and clear colors. "The
street" conveys the emotional state of a German City
following WWI.
c. Emil Nolde - his paintings showed bold strong colors:
yellow-orange, blue-green and red-violet. His works include
Christ and the Children and St. Simeon and the women.
d. Max Weber - "Tranquility" utilizes dark and rich colors and
the forms are distorted.
e. Ivan Albright - painting exudes brutality and vulgarity.
Shown in his "Into the World Came a Soul Name Ida"
f. Juan Luna - Spolarium shows deplorable thoughts and
feelings about war and destruction.
g. E. Aguilar Cruz - modern Filipino expressionist.

Modern Paintings
- alive, dynamic, and forceful.
Art is anchored on abstracts. Meaning "to take away" and to
synthesize.
a. Raphael - the Sistine Madonna and Birth of Venus.
b. Piet Mondrian - uses abstraction, assemblage of lines and
planes without any similarity to the real tree.
c. Kardinsky - uses abstraction and believes in the free
distortion of shaoes and the arbitrary use of color. He calls his
paintings either "composition" or "improvisation."
Cubism - form of abstraction. Objects are first reduced into
cubes and flattened into two-dimensional shapes.
Surrealism - brings elements of the subconscious to the
surface. Expressed in symbolic forms.
Famous paintings includes
a. Salvador Beli's Persistence of Memory
b. Marc Chagall's The Bride and Groom of the Eiffel Tower
c. Paul Klee's The Twittering Machine
d. Joan Miro's Person Throwing a Stone at a Bird and Dog
Barking at The Moon.
e. Max Ernest's Europe After the Rain
f. Pablo Picasso's Sattinmbanques, Les Demoisselles d'
Avignon, Guernica and Paradise.
Morris Graves - American surrealist but not pure one since his
subjects are derived partly from surrealism and Buddhism.

Peter Blum - The Eternal City depicted a surrealist Rome with

Mussolini's violent green head jumping out of a jack-in-thebox.
The Abstract Expressionist has his own individuality. The
meaning of the painting is sometimes sacrificed. The Abstract
Expressionists of America was totally abstract and very free in
form. They paint without subject at hand and they paint by
chance.
Some modern Filipino painters are:
a. Arturo Luz
b. Olazo
c. Lao
d. Ocampo
e. Joya

PHILIPPINE PRE-COLONIAL ART

Code of Kalantiaw

HISTORY
The oldest human fossils found is the skull cap of a StoneAge Filipino about 22,000 years old discovered by Dr. Robert
Fox inside Tabon Cave Lipuun Point, Quezon, Palawan on
May 28, 1962.

- legal code in the epic history Maragtas written by Datu

Kalantiaw but actually been written by Jose Marco.
- Teodoro Agoncilo describes the code as "a disputed
document."

Tabon man is named after the Bird that laid thick layers of
dung on the floor of the cave where it was found.
Tabon man came during the Paleolithic Age walking dry-shod
through Malay Peninsula, Borneo and the land bridges.

Ati-atihan Festival
- also based on the arrival of the datus and their subsequent
interactions with the indigenous Aetas.

Shod - wearing shoes or footgear

MUSIC
Bamboo Zither - instrument from Bukidnon also called as
tangkol. Has string stretched across a shallow wooden box.

Indonesians - first sea-immigrants. Belonged to the Mongoloid

race with Caucasian Affinities during the Neolithic Age.

Gaddang - flat gongs called gangsa are percussion instruments

from Cordillera.

Malays - belong to the brown race during Iron Age. They are
daring and liberty-loving. Their prominent contribution
includes Ati-atihan festivals, Maragtas chronicles and the code
of Kalantiaw.

Kulintang - arranged in a row or supported by the dabakn

(conical drum) by the Maranao.
ARCHITECTURE

Code of Maragtas
- dated 1200 to 1250.
- ten chieftain populating the entire visayan region.
- but its actually a fictitious book by Pedro Monteclaro in
Hiligaynon and Kinaray-a languages.
- maragtas means history

Lean-to - early shelters which was both roof ad wall by

Negritos
Tausog House - built on flat dry land. The one-room, gabled
roof house (bay sinug) has a separate kitchen accessible
through a side porch.

Torogan - has a soaring, salakot-shaped roof, ornate bearns

and massive posts - all proclaiming exalted status.
Bale - Ifugao house

sex of the deceased. Hexagonal for male and Flat combs for
females.
PAINTINGS

SCULPTURE
Pottery - dates back to prehistoric times. designs are either
abstract (dots, straight lines and curve lines) or
Representational (drawings of human objects)

Tattoos - pintados, inhabitants of the visayan islands, would

use sharp metal instruments previously heated over fire.
Silup - tattooing imitated the uper garment worn by the men of
North Kalinga. The women of South Kalinga painted their
faces a bright red.

Manunggol Burial Jar - Queen of Philippine Prehistoric

Artifacts

Petroglyphs - carving or inscription on a rock.

Jewelry - pierced cone shell found in Duyong Cave in Palawan

was the most ancient sample of jewelry. Some adornments
were shells, flowers, leaves and plumage.

Angono Petroglyphs - oldest known work of art in the

Philippines consist of 127 human and animal figures dating
back to 3000 BC

Wood Carvings - Ukkil etched on a coral gives a grave

distinctive marker. Known as Sunduk, its shape indicates the