Appreciating Arts and Culture

CARLOS “BOTONG” FRANCISCO

Carlos “Botong” Francisco, the poet of Angono, single-handedly revived the forgotten art of mural and remained its most distinguished practitioner for nearly three decades. In panels such as those that grace the City Hall of Manila, Francisco turned fragments of the historic past into vivid records of the legendary courage of the ancestors of his race. He was invariably linked with the “modernist” artists, forming with Victorio C. Edades and Galo Ocampo what was then known in the local art circles as “The Triumvirate”. Botong’s unerring eye for composition, the lush tropical sense of color and an abiding faith in the folk values typified by the townspeople of Angono became the hallmark of his art.

His other major works include the following: Portrait of Purita, The Invasion of Limahong, Serenade, Muslim Betrothal, Blood Compact, First Mass at Limasawa, The Martyrdom of Rizal, Bayanihan, Magpupukot, Fiesta, Bayanihan sa Bukid, Sandugo.

NCCA, 2015. Carlos "Botong" Francsico. Retrieved from: http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-the-philippines/carlos-botong-francisco/

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A CRITICAL REVIEW ON THE MAJOR ARTWORKS OF CARLOS “BOTONG” FRANCISCO

I.

Carlos Francisco’s The First Mass at Limasawa is one of his finest artworks. This piece was commissioned by the national government to commemorate the 400 years of Philippine Christianization which was held in Cebu in 1965. It was also believed to be finished between 1950’s. The mural painting depicts Fr. Pedro Valderrama, who is leading the mass in an improvised altar with the presence of Ferdinand Magellan, Pigafetta, the Spanish soldiers, and the old natives. As of today, Francisco has been remarkably considered as the artistic bridge of Philippine culture and history through his magnificent masterpieces.

As seen, the painting portrays the first mass which was celebrated in Limasawa Island on the day of Easter. It is believed in the painting that whatever is the person’s nationality, as long as that person was there to attend the mass, that person is welcomed and fully accepted. Furthermore, religious entities such as the wooden cross, the lighted candles, the bible, and the priest, are presented by the artwork. The Spaniards are showing off their faith through modest bowing and putting all of their sincerity, with the native Filipinos who are participating in the celebration. These all symbolize, not just the conversion of the native Filipinos into the Christian religion, but also the Spanish colonization happening during that time.

Through this masterpiece, Francisco was able to effective tell a story a story to the eyes of his audiences. The elements and the image projected in his artwork were exceptionally creative and visionary. It is expressive enough to show the portrayal of the subjects involved. The colors are furthermore vivid and luminous which create a realistic, yet sentimental ambience and impression all throughout. Thus, the painting becomes a strong visual representation for one of the most significant event in Philippine history.

Francisco’s artworks become one of the greatest inspirations for Filipinos who are aspiring to be artists due to his outstanding use of the important elements and principles in establishing an art. The mural painting, The First Mass at Limasawa, showcases his unique talent in utilizing his technique in making this artwork. In terms of the piece’s elements, Francisco has been maximizing the occupation of space which made it stand out in various aspects. There is also a good interaction of lines, shape, and forms in creating his desired subjects of the painting. Moreover, his exceptional use of colors, value, and texture has made the artwork realistic and perceivable in the eye. Principles are also presentable in his work. Francisco has been using a variety of elements together in one composition, and these elements become harmonious in nature. Though it lacks certain rhythm and repetition, movements are highlighted especially to the visual representation for the sky and the fabrics. There is also equal distribution of emphasis all over the canvas, and the subjects are in balance and proportionate to each other, which adds to the overall consistency and clarity of the art. Primarily, all of these aspects are unified, establishing up an expressive prospect of the Philippine historical background.

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II.

The Fiest of Angono was a central event in the town’s life, as well as in Francisco’s. The Fiesta ritual consisted of a parade carrying the sacred image of San Clemente to the lake’s banks at the edge of the town, under a bamboo arch and accompanied by uniformed devotees and a brass band. That would be none other than the famous Banda Uno put together by Angono’s other favorite son, musician Lucio San Pedro, the cousin of Francisco. Angono is the home of not just one but two national artists, Botong being one for the arts and San Pedro, the other for music

In this painting, the saint and its arch, the brass band and higantes, the golden balloons, and the heaving crowds. Like the larger homes of the richer and more famous, filled with prosperous merrymakers. One spies a single purple toned higante beside the thatch-roofed stage for the town zarzuela. The Banda Uno leads the return of the saint, symbolized by the bamboo arch.  All these visible objects are very much to symbolize of what a fiesta would look like and how such Filipino are able to prepare such celebration with great dedication and hard work in preparing all the needs that includes the designs, programs, and the food itself that the people in the community would be able to enjoy and make feast of thanksgiving.

Moreover, the figures are all Francisco’s gentle reminders that the Philippines, as Ino M. Manalo has put it, is unmistakably a country of people with individual lives that the audience is being challenged to understand. These common folk go on undisturbed by the hubbub of the fiesta, engrossed in their own world, underlining Botong’s love for the ordinary men.

With Francisco’s artwork, he was able to showcase a unique kind of masterpiece that embodies the real life setting of how he grew in his precious town. The composition of his artwork was realistic especially with how he made use of simple material like oil painting. With such way of method, an individual could foresee itself being in that kind of setting. It paved way of a creative form of communicating the artwork to the viewers of how it feels and look like in commemorating a fiesta with unique components that completes everyone and fills everyone with happiness. The overall designs were realistic and clear enough in portraying such memorable and important event to commemorate. Francisco has its own way of creating a masterpiece that signifies great deal of communication and symbolize of the Philippine community in general.

The beauty of Francisco’s artwork served as an inspiration to most of the aspiring Filipino artist because of its great application of such elements and principle in the world of the art. The Fiesta of Angono painting shows good composition of the structures of lines, shapes and forms that made it visible and modified as what the painting portrays. The contrasts of colors are well-blended and in detailed that made the value of the artwork in-sync and realistic looking. The artwork made used of the total space given by its canvas. The painting has this symmetrical balance way, since the subject in the painting are well distributed with the help of the emphasis of portraying. Mainly the painting emphasizes the focal point of a fiesta in which the people and the church are the ones who stands out the most that would also represent and reflects to the purpose of such artwork. Francisco also used the principle of variety of which he made use of different changes in terms of the overall visual look with respect to the scale and proportion of the artwork as well. The comparative relationship found in this artwork is one way of why Francisco’s artwork compromises a meaningful form of communication. Lastly, the artwork shows unity because of how both the elements and principles are harmonized to fully create and present a tradition depicted through a significant form that sparks an expressive reflection of the Filipino community and as well as in Francisco’s own life experience and passion as an artist.

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III.

Bayanihan is one of the artworks made by Carlos Francisco. The artwork entitled Bayanihan literally means, being a bayan, and has been used to refer to a spirit of communal unity and cooperation. The artwork expresses itself very clearly and meaningfully, in which it displays Filipino attributes by following their old tradition of helping their neighbors in relocating, getting enough volunteers to carry the entire house and transferring to another location. All is done in a happy and festive mood and at the end of the day. The moving family expresses their appreciation by hosting a small fiesta for everyone.

The artwork entitled Bayanihan can inspire millions of people not only in the Philippines but to the whole world. This proves us how possible it is for people around the world to help each other and work together toward a common goal without dragging others. The title itself was taken from its root word bayani, which means hero, exemplifies the true meaning of being a hero by starting from yourself and as well as to others either in your neighborhood or community. This starts from encouraging one another, at the same time helping each other’s problems to lessen the burdens in life. The bamboo sticks that were used to carry the house can represent the foundation of life on how a person is capable of being strong enough to handle one’s problems or burdens in life. On the other hand, the problems or burdens represent the bahay kubo or house. This goes to show that indeed, everyone can be a hero, as each man carries a portion of the weight of the house and in effect becomes a hero as he contributes in lightening the load for the others.

Bayanihan has become one of the favorite subjects of various artists because of its realistic imagery and beauty. The painting shows every detail of Filipino customs, where men, women, and children were in involved in an artistic manner. Indeed, it is one of Francisco’s masterpieces with its bold composition and the daring juxtaposition of elements that showcase his mastery of anatomy and lush tropical color. 

The beauty of the painting is proof of how Carlos becomes one of the best artists in the Philippines. The texture and colors make the artwork look realistic. The proper sizes of the people and the bahay-kubo are proportionate which made the artwork enticingly harmonious. These principles help the artwork to be displayed at the UNILAB. It is concluded that a good masterpiece follows the basic elements and principles of arts, making it very pleasing to the eye and realistic as it seems.