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Felix Resurrecion Hidalgo's El Asesinado Del Gobernador Bustamante (The Assassination Governor Bustamante) Also Known As La Iglesia Contra El Estado (The Church Against The State) A Critique
Felix Resurrecion Hidalgo's El Asesinado Del Gobernador Bustamante (The Assassination Governor Bustamante) Also Known As La Iglesia Contra El Estado (The Church Against The State) A Critique
One of the greatest contributions of art to the human culture and society is its
dramatic depiction of history. How it vivifies an oral or a written literature, most especially
the events of the past which influences the present and the approaching future. Not only does
it showcase the aesthetic appeal to give life to history, art also helps in narrowing the gap
between the past that is the history and the following times – the present and future – so to
reconcile the events and lessons that can be learned from both periods therefore contributing
to educating about the past so to improve the future, and have knowledge of what must and
One of the notable artworks and masterpieces which depicts history is Felix
Governor Bustamante) Also known as La Iglesia Contra el Estado (The Church Against the
State. It is an artwork that is surely a masterpiece as it also won and garnered fame as well as
respect in the Exposición Nacional de Bellas Artes in 1884 and what makes it even more
interesting is the fact that it is one of the most controversial artworks in the Philipppines.
338 cm by 412 cm with the medium as oil and canvas. The artwork is currently displayed in
the National Art Gallery of the National Museum of the Philippines. Felix Resurreccion
Hidalgo started and finished the piece around 1884 in Spain. It was inspired by a true-to-life
event that is the assassination of the Governor General Fernando Bustamante in 1719 by a
mob of friars.
The painting, as it title says, depicts Governor General Fernando Bustamante being
brutally murdered by the friars in his own palace, on its grand staircase. Different characters
or people are present at the setting of the artwork. First, the friars are seen wearing black and
white robe and most of them are all in the middle of the staircase and they all have the body
language of an intruder. Second, the guards or the soldiers are seen attacking the friars from
the side of the staircase and they were all wearing red and black uniforms. At the far back are
also mostly friars however there are also the silhouettes of the guards or soldiers. Lastly, the
dramatic depiction of the killing of Governor General Fernando Bustamante is seen on the
upper middle section of the painting or the upper staircase. It shows the dying body of the
Governor General being dragged down the staircase while the friars are beating him up.
The colors and the details in the painting are highly elaborate and emphasized. The
colors are bright and vivid as everything can be perceived and described clearly. The friars
can be easily distinguished from the soldiers. The texture and embroidery of the characters’
clothing are also remarkable, especially the Governor General’s outfit which stands out the
most. The use of 1-point perspective also highlights the dramatization of the conflict between
the friars and the soldiers in the painting, it is consistent from the closest to the farthest view
of the painting.
The function of El Asesinado del Gobernador Bustamante works hand in hand with
The content is what the title says it is, it is a specific historical event depiction that is
the assassination of Governor General Fernando Bustamante by the friars in 1719. The story
behind the painting is that the Governor General is a fair and just leader unlike the previous
ones who would abuse and exploit the Filipinos before as well as the riches of the country.
Bustamante wanted to run a government that is free of corruption and injustices. However
because of his aspirations, he clashed with Fernando Dela Cuesta, the Archbishop of Manila
who is known to protect the corrupt officials. With that reason, Bustamante had the
Archbishop detained. As a result, the friars were angered and then reacted violently, rushing
to the palace of the governor and then began a rampage which resulted to the killing of