Rizal as an artist

José Rizal, in full José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso

Realonda, (born June 19, 1861, Calamba, Philippines—died
December 30, 1896, Manila), patriot, physician, and man of letters
who was an inspiration to the Philippine nationalist movement.The
son of a prosperous landowner, Rizal was educated in Manila and at
the University of Madrid.

A brilliant medical student, he soon committed himself to the

reform of Spanish rule in his home country, though he never
advocated Philippine independence. Most of his writing was done in
Europe, where he resided between 1882 and 1892.In 1887 Rizal
published his first novel, Noli me tangere (The Social Cancer), a
passionate exposure of the evils of Spanish rule in the Philippines.

A sequel, El filibusterismo (publish on 1891;  established his

reputation as the leading spokesman of the Philippine reform
movement.He published an annotated edition (1890; reprinted
1958) of Antonio Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, hoping to
show that the native people of the Philippines had a long history
before the coming of the Spaniards.
1. 2. The novels; Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo propelled him into becoming the
leading proponent against the Spanish rule in the Philippines. Unfortunately, these very
noble acts have lead into his eventual capture and execution. The life he lived is a
testament that nationalism within one person could envelop a whole country into a full
blown revolution.
There is no question that, apart from being a hero, a patriot, and writer, Jose Rizal was
an artist of high caliber. In his lifetime, he produced no less than 110 works of art: 8
paintings, 51 sketches, 46 sculptures, 2 engineering plans, and 3 maps. He began
showing his artistic skills at age 5, surprising his kin with sketches and clay models.

In 1869, as a student in his hometown, Rizal earned the admiration of town officials and
townsfolk by reproducing a better copy of the Spanish coat-of-arms as emergency
replacement to a damaged banner on the eve of the town fiesta. Among his favorite
subjects are women, religion, his friends, and places and people he encountered during
his travels.

Among his better known works of art are the portraits of Segunda Katigbak and Leonor
Rivera, two of his early loves; the curtain art of Dapitan church (1894); Christ Crucified in
crayon (1875); painting of Immaculate Conception (1874); the sculptures "Triumph of
Death Over Life" and "Triumph of Science Over Death" in clay; two copies of the Sacred
Heart of Jesus; the image of Virgin Mary; the plan for a water system in Dapitan and for a
college in Paris.

2. 3. • He is very prolific and made various paintings, sketches as well as sculptures. he
made portraits his sweethearts and closest friends such as Ferdinand Blummentrit and
 Juan Luna. Being an intellectual he also made anatomical drawings of insects and plants
since he studied medicine. Also, while travelling he liked to make panoramic paintings or
pencil sketches of the landscapes of the places he passes by or stays in.
3.
4. 4. • However, his real talent laid in writing. At a very young age he is able to write poetry
and simple essays and as he grew, he made novels and also more poems and complex
essays with deep meanings and messages addressing to the Filipinos with topics about
education, religion and government. Here are some of his works

5. 7. The first one is his poem entitled: “Sa aking mga Kabata.” This piece talks about Love
for our nation and native tongue is the main idea of the poem.Also it shows the effect of
colonialism to the Philippines under Spain and how it greatly affected our culture as a
nation. As he grew this became contradictory on what he had said, because he didn’t
wrote his famous novels according to our native tongue but in Spanish.

6. 8. • Second are the sketches of his two sweethearts: Segunda Katigbak and Leonor
Rivera. Because of his love he dedicated his time and effort into making portrait of them.
However, neither of the two would be committed to Rizal. It may seem he has a fear to
settle down or as a gentleman because he knew that the path he has chosen could affect
a lot of people especially his loved ones .

7.
8. 9. • Finally the third is his sculpture of the Sacred Heart of Christ. The main idea of his
work was his devotion to Christianity. His faith to God would ultimately challenge as he
becomes an adult.Furthermore, he finally cut his religious ties by joining the Freemasons
and became a respected member in the fraternity. Again this contradiction to his earlier
ideas is common throughout his works.

He became the leader of the Propaganda Movement, contributing

numerous articles to its newspaper, La Solidaridad, published
in Barcelona. Rizal’s political program included integration of the
Philippines as a province of Spain, representation in the Cortes (the
Spanish parliament)

Spanish Parliament is the replacement of Spanish friars by Filipino

priests, freedom of assembly and expression, and equality of
Filipinos and Spaniards before the law. Rizal returned to the
Philippines in 1892. He founded a nonviolent-reform society,
the Liga Filipina, in Manila, and was deported to Dapitan in
northwest Mindanao. He remained in exile for the next four years.

In 1896 the Katipunan, a Filipino nationalist secret society, revolted

against Spain. Although he had no connections with that
organization and he had had no part in the insurrection, Rizal was
arrested and tried for sedition by the military. Found guilty, he was
publicly executed by a firing squad in Manila.
 His martyrdom convinced Filipinos that there was no alternative to
independence from Spain. On the eve of his execution, while
confined in Fort Santiago, Rizal wrote “Último adiós” (“Last
Farewell”), a masterpiece of 19th-century Spanish verse.

Jose rizal awards and achievements

Next is Jose Rizal’s Awards and achievements his work Noli Me tangere and its
sequel EL filibusterismo win in famas Award 1963 as best stories . Rizal earned a
Bachelors of Arts Ateneo Manila. He studied medicine in University of Santo Thomas and
continued his studies in madrid and earned a degree of Licentiate in Medicine earned a second
doctorate at the University of Heidelberg,
Jose Rizal’s ideals were a product and composite of the teachings of what is
known as the philosophy of Enlightenment.Friar injustices and Spanish misrule. Jose Rizal’s
writings transformed his stature from a writer and propagandist against social and religious
injustices of Spanish rule in the Philippines that made him into a national hero.

Rizal's Famous Quotations

"Ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika, daig pa ang hayop at malansang isda."

"Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinangalingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan."

“Ang kabataan ang Pag-asa ng bayan”

“Bukas, amgiging mamamayan tayo ng Pilipinas, kung saan kapalaran niya’y magiging maganda sapagkat nasa
mapagkalinga siyang kamay

1. • In summary Jose Rizal shouldn’t just be remembered as a hero to the motherland but
also an artist who in his works have shown a very personal side of himself, because in
his works it reflected his beliefs and ideals and how he used it for the good of a nation.