THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY

Asian and Philippine History is my forte. I have won several local and national quiz bees during high school on such topics aside from Physics Olympiad (geek!) which honed my capability to memorize and analyze information as read and given (Ok! Ako na! haha!).  Ask me some details now and I definitely won’t remember all.

My interest in history, culture and the arts have been enhanced through my travels.  A museum is and has always been an inevitable part of my itinerary when I wander.  The National Museum of the Philippines is by far the largest and has the most number of interesting finds. 


THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY
THE LIFE-SIZED PAINTING OF JUAN LUNA
There are four buildings of the National Museum: Museum of the Filipino People, Planetarium, Regional Museums and the National Art Gallery.  As an introduction, we found ourselves at the latter with the internationally-acclaimed painting entitled “Spoliarium” of Juan Luna serving as a welcome treat.

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY
SPOLIARIUM
Exhibitions at the National Art Gallery features Philippine arts from the 17th to 20th centuries at the second floor and spans modern and contemporary Philippine art from the 20th to 21st centuries as well as temporary exhibitions, as the floor moves higher.

Moving from one gallery to another, combined installations, sculptures and paintings of renowned Philippine artists came into view.  The passing of traditions and rich heritage of the Filipino people truly has been immortalized within the halls of this building.

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERYTHE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY
FEATURED AT THE GALLERY OF JOSE RIZAL
Each gallery has its own theme.  One gallery is dedicated to Dr. Jose Rizal, our national hero and his works.  One of my favorite galleries is Gallery IV – Academic and Neoclassical Sculpture.  The intricately made sculptures has a distinct character of its own.  No two images resembles the same concept and every corner is worth the attention. 


THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERYTHE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY
A NATIONAL CULTURAL TREASURE PAINTING
 Gallery I of the Christian themed art wooden installations is quite an interesting concept.  The gallery represents religious art from the 17th to 19th centuries.  Many of the religious images were of carved wooden statues made by unknown artists.  The main highlight for this gallery is a National Cultural Treasure, a retablo (altar piece) from the Church of San Nicolas de Tolentino in Dimiao, Bohol.

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERYTHE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY

Moving to the 3rd floor of the Museum, the Old Senate Session Hall speaks of a certain character that only time and its history can reveal.  The hall appears simple yet well-maintained and the glory of the past architecture is well-preserved.  As per the National Museum website, the Hall was originally designed to be a library in the early 1920s during the American colonial period, when the Architect Juan Arellano revised the plans of Ralph Harrington Doane in order to convert the building to the seat of legislature.

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY
AMAZED AT THE OLD SENATE SESSION HALL
Photo courtesy of Doi
The ornamentation of the hall does not boast of grand fixtures and chandeliers but of sculptures and carvings that are neo-classically inspired yet transcends Filipino culture.  The most celebrated sculptor during that time, Isabelo Tampinco, contemporary of Juan Luna and Jose Rizal – is responsible for this classical design of the hall.  Tampinco made use of his knowledge on classical sculpture.

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY
THE NEO-CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE
THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY
CARVINGS OF THE GREAT LAWMAKERS
Scrutinizing every detail of the hall, I noticed carvings on its entablature.  They are the moralists and the great lawmakers of history ranging from antiquity and Biblical times to the twentieth century.

Surrounding the hall are galleries featuring contemporary and modern arts.  They have quite a strong depiction of the modern times – either revolutionary, submissive or passive.

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY
THE MODERN GALLERY HALLWAY

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERYTHE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY
FEATURING THE ARTS OF DIMASALANG STREET

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERYTHE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY

Photo by: Marx
THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY
MODERN WORKS ON THEME OF CHRISTIANITY
THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY
QUITE REVOLUTIONARY IN CHARACTER
THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY
MEMORABILIA 
The interior design of the National Art Gallery makes learning Philippine art forms simultaneously exciting and persuasive.  Appreciation is relative but with companions who share the same wavelength as yours – learning is indeed fun at the museum.  We came not for a required educational field trip as in the past but as occasional lovers of Philippine art and culture in our own free will and volition.

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERYTHE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY
IMAGES OF PHILIPPINE MODERNISM
While at the topmost floor, “Ang init naman dito! Someone replied: “E ginusto mo yan e!” Indeed, we can endure current conditions of the hallways for the sake of art appreciation and discovery (or picture-worthy backdrops).

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY
THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED STAIRWAY

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERYTHE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES | NATIONAL ART GALLERY


THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES
Padre Burgos Drive, City of Manila

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3 comments

  1. Ang bilis! Tapos may scroll picture echos ka na din. Wowww. Ang galing ni _____. HAHA

    ReplyDelete
  2. We are in full support to promote the Philippine Visual Arts and Filipino Artist.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Let us support and promote our heritage and Philippine arts.

    ReplyDelete