Guillermo Estrella

Tolentino
1890-1976
• He represents the National Artist
Awards for Sculpture in 1973. He
is consider as the "Father of
Philippine Arts" because of his
great works like the famous
"Bonifacio Monument"
symbolizing Filipinos cry for
freedom located in intersection of
EDSA and Rizal Avenue and
"The Oblation" in UP signifying
academic freedom .
• Guillermo E. Tolentino was
born on 24 July 1890 in
Malolos, Bulacan. His
parents were Isidro
Tolentino and Balbina
Estrella.
• Tolentino first learned how to
draw while attending
intermediate school in
Malolos, under his teacher, H.A.
Bordner. He took up his
secondary studies at the Manila
High School, then pursued a
degree in fine arts in 1915 at the
University of the Philippines.
• In 1919, Tolentino went to the
United States to pursue further
studies, as he had received a
scholarship grant from Bernard
Baruch of New York
University's Beaux School of
Arts. He graduated from New
York University with honors in
1921.
• That same year, Tolentino traveled to
Europe to visit the worked renowned
museums and art galleries in London
and Paris. He then went to study in
Regge Istituto di Belle Arti in 1922.
It was in Rome that Tolentino had his first
solo-artist exhibition. He also won second
prize in an art competition for his
composition Apat na Mangangabayong
Apokalipsis (Four Horsemen of the
Apocalypse).
• He returned to the
Philippines in 1924, and
became a professor at the
University of the Philippines'
School of Fine Arts in 1926.
Later, he would be appointed
as the school's secretary
• In 1932, Tolentino married Paz
Raymundo. They had a family of
seven children.
• From 1953 to 1955 Tolentino also
served as the School of Arts'
director. He retired in 1955 as
professor emeritus.
• In 1973, Tolentino was named
National Artist for Visual Arts for
his works in the field of sculpture.
He died in 1976.
• Guillermo Tolentino was known as a
master in classical sculpture.
• He received national recognition for
his work on the Bonifacio Monument,
the design for which was chosen in a
competition organized by sculptor
Vicente Francisco, and architects
Andres Luna de San Pedro and Tomas
Mapua. The call for designs for the
monument was made on 29 August
1930.
• Tolentino's winning design
featured an obelisk with a bird
of freedom perched atop of it.
Around the monument's base
stand life-size figures of
members of the Katipunan led
by their leader Andres
Bonifacio.
• The monument is now a major landmark
of Caloocan City. One of the metro's light
rail transit (LRT) stations is located near
the landmark, and is accordingly called
“Monumento.”
• Tolentino also sculpted the UP Oblation.
The statue was commissioned in 1935 by
then University President Rafael Palma. It
was originally located at the UP Manila
campus in Ermita, but was moved to the
Diliman campus in celebration of the
university's 40th anniversary.
• Tolentino was also the
artist who designed the
medals for the Ramon
Magsaysay Awards, as well
as the seal of the Republic
of the Philippines.
Bonifacio Monument
The original UP Oblation
Medal for Ramon Magsaysay Award
Venus, 1951
Filipinas on Bondage
Bust of Monsignor Gregorio Aglipay
A small bust of Jose Rizal
The News Boy
Filipinos Illustres" paint by Guillermo Tolentino
Guillermo Tolentino's works in Pasig City Museum
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