OVERVIEW OF

PHILIPPINE ARTS
Pre-Colonial Period
Even before the colonizers set their
foot on our land, Filipinos already
has a great possession in terms of the
art. From the way they dressed, the
kind of tools they used and the way
of life they lived, it only reveals that
we have an exceptionally rich
foundation of what we
regard as art of today.
Through migration and trade
during the Pre-Colonial Period,
the early Filipinos made an
immense contact with other
Asian countries that help
improved their way of living and
enhanced their own culture.
Architecture

The ancient Filipinos had first

dwelt in caves and have learned
the art of architecture as they
move and hunt for food.
Example
A lean-to is a portable shelter
of the Negritos made of tree
branches and twigs, using
leaves and fronds for sidings.
A screen resting on the
ground and help up at an
angle by one or several poles,
the lean-to is both roof and
wall, protecting dwellers from
rain the heat of the sun.
Example
Binuron is an Isneg house that
is regarded as the largest and
among the most substantially
constructed houses in the
Cordilleras. It is slightly built
above the ground with a
bamboo layered, gabled roof
that ensembles an inverted
boat, a design unique to the
Isneg who are boat-builders.
Example
The traditional Ifugao houses
called as Bale or the “No-Nail”
house have been constructed
without the use of
nails. Banaue Ethnic Village and
Pine Resort cited
anthropologist Otley Beyer as
saying that Bale is the “first
pre-fabricated house in the
world.”
Example
The Tausug house typically
consists of a single rectangular
room, bamboo- or timber-
walled, with a thatched roof,
raised on posts about 2 to 3
meters above the ground. The
structure is generally
surrounded by a series of
elevated porches leading to a
separate kitchen at the rear.
Example
Torogan, is a traditional
house built by the Maranao
people of Lanao, Mindanao,
Philippines. A torogan was a
symbol of high social status.
Such a residence was once a
home to a sultan or Datu in
the Maranao community.
 Sculpture
As the early Filipinos
continued to improve
their way of life, they
have learned to make
use of the available
resources in adapting to
the ever changing
environment.
Example
The tradition of pottery
dates back to prehistoric
times as proven by the
Manunggul jar which is at
least 3,500 years old and
which depicts on its lid two
boatmen riding a banca on
their way to the great
divide.
 Example
Wood carving in the
Philippines is a tradition
dating back to pre-
colonial times. Native
Filipinos carved essential
items, often creating
ornamental patterns for
the use of the tribal
Bul-ul are carved anito figures hierarchy and to celebrate
of the Ifugaos
special occasions.
 Example
Jewelry is another ancient art
that began as amulets and
charms to ward off evil spirits
and to give supernatural
powers to the wearer. Related
to religious beliefs and to
social function, body
ornaments are worn to please
the gods to signify the status
Ling-ling-o (Ifugao amulet)
of the wearer and enhance
her charms.
Painting

The ancient Filipinos had

expressed paintings through
tattoos and cave carvings.
Example
Tattoos
The pintados (painted
ones), inhabitants of the
Visayan islands as
described by the
conquistadors used sharp
metal instruments
previously heated over fire
in painting their bodies.
Example
Cave Carving
The Angono Petroglyphs is
known to be dated back
from 3000 B.C. It contains
127 human and animal
figures engraved on the
rock wall. Known for being
the oldest work of art in
the Philippines.
 Weaving

The Cordillera groups of the

north are well-known for the art of
weaving. With a back strap loom, they
produce blankets and articles of
clothing that fulfill a practical function
and also play a part in religion and
ritual.
 Music
• Long before the arrival of the
colonizers, native Filipinos were
without a doubt, music lovers. They
had music practically for all
occasions, for every phase of life,
from birth to death.
In the account of Pigafetta, the
official historian of Magellan
expedition, women from Cebu were
harmoniously playing cymbals (plan
tiles), nose flutes, bamboo mouth
organs (aphiw), brass gong (gansa),
flute (bansic, long drum (colibao),
bamboo harp (subing), water
whistle (paiyak), guitar (bugtot),
xylophone (agong), drum (tugo).
System of Writing
Baybayin is a pre-Spanish Philippine
writing system. It is a member of the
Brahmic family and is recorded as
being in use in the 16th century. It
continued to be used during the
Spanish colonization of the
Philippines up until the late 19th
Century.
Spanish Colonial Period
When the Spaniards arrived in the
Philippines in 1521, the colonizers
used art as a tool to propagate the
Catholic faith through beautiful
images to explain the concepts
behind Catholicism and to tell the
stories about life and passion of
Christ.
The propagation of catholic faith
could not have been successful
without religious paintings,
engravings, and sculpture, as well as
devotional hymns and verses which
are the earliest example of literary
and musical pieces to which the
natives were exposed.
In the middle of the seventeenth
century, Western artistic styles
bloomed through the creation of
poems, paintings and musical
compositions by the natives.
 Architecture
The architecture of the
Philippines (Spanish: Arquitectura Filipina) is
a reflection of the country's historical and
cultural heritage. Most prominent historic
structures in the archipelago are based on a
mix of indigenous
Austronesian, Chinese, Malay, American,
and Spanish influences.
During three hundred thirty years
of Spanish colonization, the
Philippine architecture was
dominated by the Spanish
influences. The Augustinian friars,
along with other religious orders,
built a large number of grand
churches and cathedrals all over the
Philippine Islands.
During this period the traditional
Filipino Bahay na bató (Filipino for
"stone house") style for the large
houses emerged. These were large
houses built of stone and wood
combining Filipino, Spanish and
Chinese style elements.
 Examples

Barasoain Church in Malolos St. Augustine Church in Paoay

Manila Cathedral Jose Rizal’s Home in Calamba, Laguna

Sculpture
Sculpture in the Philippines
during Spanish
colonization period
depicts mainly of things
from the Bible. It includes
some important religious
themes from birth to
crucifixion of Christ.
 Examples

Spanish Colonial carved St. John the Baptist, by

and polychromed santos Alonso Cano
 Painting
The first paintings were commissioned
works during the Spanish colonial era.
Since most art produced during the first
two centuries of Spanish occupation
were for the church, the friars enforced
strict supervision over their production.
Until the 19th century, art was only for
the church and religious use.
 Examples

Old Spanish Church, oil on canvas, Jose Luciano Dan’s: Langit, Lupa,
by Fernando Amorsolo Impyerno
Theater
The Spaniards have brought their own
unique forms of entertainment into the
country. These entertainments have
helped shaped the landscape of
Philippine theater and culture. With the
introduction of the comedia, moro-moro
and others, people had newer ways in
which to gain merriment.
 Example
Komedya (comedia) - In
the Spanish Golden Age
(Siglo de Oro) tradition,
a comedia is a three-act
play combining dramatic
and comic elements. The
principal characters are
noblemen and ladies who
work out a plot involving
love, jealousy, honor and
sometimes also piety or
patriotism.
Example

Zarzuela is a Spanish
lyric-dramatic genre
that alternates
between spoken and
sung scenes, the latter
incorporating operatic
and popular song, as
well as dance.
 Example
Senakulo is a play depicting
the life and sufferings of
Jesus Christ. The word is
derived from the Spanish
cenáculo, meaning “cenacl
e,” which is the place where
Jesus Christ celebrated the
Last Supper with his
disciples. The senakulo is
performed during Holy
Week in the Philippines.
Example
Moro-moro is a play that
became popular in the
Philippines during the
Spanish colonial period. It
depicted battles between
Christians and Moros as
Muslims in the Philippines
who are popularly known
as the perpetual villains
who always lost to the
Christians in the end.
 Music
Although, geographically, the Philippines
belongs to the East, its music has been heavily
influenced by the West owing to 333 years of
Spanish rule.
Music in the highland and lowland hamlets
where indigenous culture continues to thrive
has strong Asian elements. Spanish and
American influences are highly evident in the
music of the urban areas.
A system to classify Philippines' music is a
geographic or ethno-linguistic approach:
for example, traditional Tagalog music,
which is somewhat more Hispanic in
flavour, differs from Ifugao music and
Islam influenced Maranao kulintang
music.
 Dance
Dancing was considered a religious
activity among the early Filipinos.
Dances were performed by the priests
and priestesses in thanksgiving for a
plentiful harvest, a victorious battle, a
prosperous voyage or recovery from
sickness.
During the Spanish regime, dancing played
an important part in the social activity of the
people. Among the Christianized Filipino
groups, the kumintang was the oldest
dance and song. It was pantomimed song
and dance. The Pampango is another
dance, characterized by the movements of
the lion and clapping of the hands.
These dances were set aside with the coming
of the Spaniards, but were later revived as
new dances such as the fandango,
lanceros, rigodon, carinosa and curacha
were introduced by the Spaniards. The folk
dances of today were adaptations of the old
native dances.
Some of the folk dances with Spanish
influence are Estudiantina, Mazurka
Boholana, Mazurka Mindorena and Polka
sa Nayon.
Let us reflect!
Among the influences of
Spaniards in terms of art, what do
you like best or enjoyed the most?
How can you relate it to the Filipino
life at present? Explain briefly.