Art Capital of the Philippines
Carlos Villaluz Francisco
On November 4, 1914, Maria Villaluz gave birth to a child to Felipe Francisco and called him Carlos but he is well-known as Botong among his friends and town mates. Furthermore, as a youth, Botong is fond of playing basketball than practicing his skills in painting.
At the age of five, Botong lost his father. His father was an ex-seminarian and a degree holder of the humanities who worked in a manufacturing of a local wine. His mother attended him for education. Among the few, he spent his college years at the University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts and during those days, specifically in 1959 he was the recipient of a Most Outstanding Alumnus award that gave an honour to his alma mater.
On the contrary, he did not finish his degree and was forced to work. Later on before the war, he became a professor at the University Of Santo Tomas School Of Architecture and Fine Arts.
In addition, Carlos was not just a mural painter but he is also a scriptwriter – of Genghis Khan, Putol na Kampilan and Tatlong Labuyo, and designed costumes for different films such as Romeo at Julieta, Prinsipe Tenoso, Ibong Adarna, Siete Infantes de Lara and Juan Tamad series.
He was rewarded as the National Artist for Painting, considered as the greatest muralist of the country and 1964 Republic of the Philippines Cultural Heritage awardee. He is also part of the modern art movement, with Victorio C. Edades and Galo Ocampo that was known in local art circles as “the triumvirate”. In 1938, it was changed to “the thirteen moderns”, a group of modern artist.
Moreover, some of his works includes the mural made to hang at the Fiesta Pavillion of the Manila Hotel, murals for the residences of prominent Filipinos, the bayanihan scene for the Philippine Bank of Commerce, the four-panel History of Medicine for the Philippine General Hospital, the stations of the cross at the Far Eastern University chapel, and the life of St. Dominic for the Sto. Domingo Church. Lastly, his major masterpiece was the mural that he did for the Bulwagang Katipunan of Manila City Hall.
Botong died at the age of 57 on March 31, 1969, because of haemorrhage from a lung lesion. Thus, on June 12, 1973, he was conceded as the National Artist. And after he died, Botong Francisco School of Painting was established that exemplifies lyricism and heroism.
At the age of five, Botong lost his father. His father was an ex-seminarian and a degree holder of the humanities who worked in a manufacturing of a local wine. His mother attended him for education. Among the few, he spent his college years at the University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts and during those days, specifically in 1959 he was the recipient of a Most Outstanding Alumnus award that gave an honour to his alma mater.
On the contrary, he did not finish his degree and was forced to work. Later on before the war, he became a professor at the University Of Santo Tomas School Of Architecture and Fine Arts.
In addition, Carlos was not just a mural painter but he is also a scriptwriter – of Genghis Khan, Putol na Kampilan and Tatlong Labuyo, and designed costumes for different films such as Romeo at Julieta, Prinsipe Tenoso, Ibong Adarna, Siete Infantes de Lara and Juan Tamad series.
He was rewarded as the National Artist for Painting, considered as the greatest muralist of the country and 1964 Republic of the Philippines Cultural Heritage awardee. He is also part of the modern art movement, with Victorio C. Edades and Galo Ocampo that was known in local art circles as “the triumvirate”. In 1938, it was changed to “the thirteen moderns”, a group of modern artist.
Moreover, some of his works includes the mural made to hang at the Fiesta Pavillion of the Manila Hotel, murals for the residences of prominent Filipinos, the bayanihan scene for the Philippine Bank of Commerce, the four-panel History of Medicine for the Philippine General Hospital, the stations of the cross at the Far Eastern University chapel, and the life of St. Dominic for the Sto. Domingo Church. Lastly, his major masterpiece was the mural that he did for the Bulwagang Katipunan of Manila City Hall.
Botong died at the age of 57 on March 31, 1969, because of haemorrhage from a lung lesion. Thus, on June 12, 1973, he was conceded as the National Artist. And after he died, Botong Francisco School of Painting was established that exemplifies lyricism and heroism.
Major Works of Carlos V. Francisco
Portrait of Purita
35.5 x 28 cm
Pen and Ink on Paper
1932
Purita Kalaw-Ledesma Collection
Siesta Under the Mango Tree
60 x 45 cm
Oil on Board
1938
UST Museum Collection
Bayanihan sa Bukid
73 x 100 cm
Oil on Canvas
1940
Private Collection
Kaingin
91 x 137 cm
Oil on Canvas
1945
Dr. Solita Camara Besa Collection
Kalantiao at Lubluban
249 x 198 cm
Oil on Canvas
1946
Esther Vibal Collection
Fiesta
264.2 x 269.2 cm
Oil on Canvas
1946
Mr. and Mrs. Paulino Que Collection
Camote Eaters
86 x 130 cm
Oil on Canvas
1946
Leandro Locsion Collection
Mangingisda sa Lawa
120 x 240 cm
Oil on Wood
1946
Edilberto Bravo Collection
Code of Kalantiao
75 x 92 cm
Oil on Canvas
1947
Charito Planas Collection
Valley
47 x 71 cm
Oil on Canvas
1948
Central Bank of the Philippines Collection
Rice Threshers
34 x 50 cm
Oil on Canvas
1950
Dr. Solita Camara Besa Collection
The Invasion of Limahong
33 x 66 cm
Oil on Canvas
1956
Leandro Locsion Collection
Serenade
65.5 x 132 cm
Oil on Canvas
1957
Central Bank of the Philippines Collection
Magpupukot
100 x 135 cm
Oil on Canvas
1957
Private Collection
Muslim Betrothal
175 x 109 cm
Oil on Canvas
1958
Victor Puyat Collection
Bayanihan
62.5 x 47.5 cm
Watercolor
1960
Marites Pineda Collection
Portrait of Ada
90 x 74.5 cm
Oil on Canvas
1961
Ada Mabilangan Collection
Sandugo
150 x 459 cm
Oil on Canvas
1961
Alfonso Yuchengco Collection
Madonna of the Bamboos
90 x 45 cm
Oil on Canvas
1962
Atty. And Mrs. Renato Francisco Collection
Portrait of Purita
35.5 x 28 cm
Pen and Ink on Paper
1932
Purita Kalaw-Ledesma Collection
Siesta Under the Mango Tree
60 x 45 cm
Oil on Board
1938
UST Museum Collection
Bayanihan sa Bukid
73 x 100 cm
Oil on Canvas
1940
Private Collection
Kaingin
91 x 137 cm
Oil on Canvas
1945
Dr. Solita Camara Besa Collection
Kalantiao at Lubluban
249 x 198 cm
Oil on Canvas
1946
Esther Vibal Collection
Fiesta
264.2 x 269.2 cm
Oil on Canvas
1946
Mr. and Mrs. Paulino Que Collection
Camote Eaters
86 x 130 cm
Oil on Canvas
1946
Leandro Locsion Collection
Mangingisda sa Lawa
120 x 240 cm
Oil on Wood
1946
Edilberto Bravo Collection
Code of Kalantiao
75 x 92 cm
Oil on Canvas
1947
Charito Planas Collection
Valley
47 x 71 cm
Oil on Canvas
1948
Central Bank of the Philippines Collection
Rice Threshers
34 x 50 cm
Oil on Canvas
1950
Dr. Solita Camara Besa Collection
The Invasion of Limahong
33 x 66 cm
Oil on Canvas
1956
Leandro Locsion Collection
Serenade
65.5 x 132 cm
Oil on Canvas
1957
Central Bank of the Philippines Collection
Magpupukot
100 x 135 cm
Oil on Canvas
1957
Private Collection
Muslim Betrothal
175 x 109 cm
Oil on Canvas
1958
Victor Puyat Collection
Bayanihan
62.5 x 47.5 cm
Watercolor
1960
Marites Pineda Collection
Portrait of Ada
90 x 74.5 cm
Oil on Canvas
1961
Ada Mabilangan Collection
Sandugo
150 x 459 cm
Oil on Canvas
1961
Alfonso Yuchengco Collection
Madonna of the Bamboos
90 x 45 cm
Oil on Canvas
1962
Atty. And Mrs. Renato Francisco Collection
Moriones Unmasked
48 x 72 cm
Oil on Canvas
1963
United Coconut Planters Bank Collection
The Battle of Mactan
45 x 22.5 cm
Watercolor
1964
Private Collection
The Fall of Manila and Conquest of the Philippines by Spain
45 x 22.5 cm
Watercolor
1964
Private Collection
Blood Compact
27.5 x 69.37 cm
Watercolor
1964
Marites Pineda Collection
Spain Rebuilds the Philippines
56.25 x 22.75 cm
Watercolor
1964
Private Collection
Abuses of the Spanish Authorities
46.25 x 23.75 cm
Watercolor
1964
Private Collection
The Battle of Tirad Pass, The Philippine Revolution
45 x 22.5 cm
Watercolor
1964
Private Collection
The Martyrdom of Rizal
43.75 x 22.5 cm
Watercolor
1964
Private Collection
The Republic Marches On
45 x 23.75 cm
Watercolor
1964
Private Collection
Historic Landing in Leyte, The Liberation of the Philippines
45 x 2.5 cm
Watercolor
1964
Private Collection
The Malay Migration
45 x 22.5 cm
Watercolor
1964
Private Collection
Study of the Code of Kalantiao
50 x 23.75 cm
Watercolor
1964
Private Collection
Portrait of Anding Roces
100 x 76 cm
Oil on Canvas
1965
Alejandro Roces Collection
First Mass at Limasawa
301 x 145 cm
Oil on Canvas
1965
National Museum of the Philippines Collection
Introduction of the First Christian Image
145 x 301 cm
Oil on Canvas
1965
National Museum of the Philippines Collection
Planting Corn
50 x 80 cm
Watercolor
1966
Marites Pineda Collection
Blood Compact
27.5 x 69.37 cm
Watercolor
1968
Marites Pineda Collection
Rajah Sulayman (mural)
Oil on Canvas
1968
Manila City Hall
Lost in the Forest
29.5 x 44.5 cm
Watercolor
1970
National Museum of the Philippines Collection
Written by: Shane Valerie G. Pastoral
HAVE A PEEK:
References:
Carlos Francisco
Cultural Heritage
Wikipedia
Cocoro
Asia Finest
Gallery Big
WikiPilipinas
(The National Artists of the Philippines, 1998)
(National Artist Folio, Miriam College Foundation Inc.)
Carlos Francisco
Cultural Heritage
Wikipedia
Cocoro
Asia Finest
Gallery Big
WikiPilipinas
(The National Artists of the Philippines, 1998)
(National Artist Folio, Miriam College Foundation Inc.)
