“ The Filipino Struggles Through History”

By : Carlos “Botong” Francisco

About The Painter
• The painting was made by Carlos Modesto Villaluz Francisco. He was born
on November 4, 1912 at Angono, Rizal, Philippine Islands. He died on March
31, 1969 with the age of 56. He was best known for his historical pieces and
being the first Filipino modernists along with Galo Ocampo and Victorio C.
Edades who broke away from Fernando Amorsolo’s romanticism of
Philippine’s scenes. His great works include portrayals of the Blood Compact,
First Mass at Limasawa, The Martyrdom of Rizal, Bayanihan, and etc..
• Francisco was recognized multiple times for achievement in visual art,
including his paintings “Kaingin”(Swidden). He also won first prize in the
inaugural national exhibition of the Art Association of the Philippines (AAP)
held at the National Museum in 1948. He received the Patnubay ng Sining at
Kalinangan Award from the City of Manila in 1964 and was proclaimed as a
National Artist in Painting in 1973.
About the Painting

• This painting is entitled “Filipino struggles through history” but at first it was
called “Kasaysayan ng Maynila” (History of Manila) and was changed later
on. It was a series of large scale paintings and they were in chronological
order beginning with pre – colonial Philippines through Philippine
independence.

• Medium: Oil on canvas

• Movement: Cubism

• Location: National Museum of Fine Arts Manila

Critical Analysis on the Painting

• The painting shows how Filipinos fought in the colonial era in the Philippines. The
paneling was very detailed that the characters expressions are comprehensible and
understandable. It depicts three stories that can be define to the three countries that
colonized the country. Spain, America, and Japan are those countries.
• On the left corner, it shows the sufferings of the Filipinos during the Spanish
colonial era. By looking at the barefooted person wearing a bolo, he’s on the
ground looking weak. This portrays the sufferings during the Spanish colonial
era.
• On the middle part, it shows the revival of Katipunan showing bravery against
the colonialists, namely the Spaniards and Americans. After the Spaniards
colonized the country, the Americans came in a short time span which led to
another war.
• On the right corner, it shows the Japanese occupation in the Philippines.
There are warships in the right corner which represent how the Japan –
America war happened in the Pearl Harbor which led to the Japan invasion in
the country.
• The three stories of colonialism in the painting “The Filipino Struggles
Through History” just showed the sufferings and the happenings of the
Filipinos throughout the years in different colonial era in the country.
• Acknowledgement