126th Birth Anniversary of Victorio Edades
The #NationalMuseumPh celebrates the 126th birth anniversary of National Artist for Painting Victorio Edades, born #OnThisDay in 1895 by featuring his portrait, “Modern Maria Clara” from the National Museum of Fine Arts collection.
This oil on canvas painting, completed in 1958, is a portrait of a Filipina depicted as the modern version of Maria Clara. Maria Clara is a prominent character from Dr. Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere. She was portrayed as the traditional, feminine, conservative, and charming lady described by Rizal as the ideal Filipina. In the portrait, the lady is wearing a Filipino fashion ensemble of multi-clothing known as the Maria Clara gown. Edades have portrayed this lady as the modern Maria Clara in his time.
Victorio Edades was born to Hilario Edades and Cecilia Edades on December 23, 1895 in Dagupan Pangasinan. He studied his early education in his hometown. In 1893, he left for the US to study architecture and fine arts at the University of Washington in Seattle. Edades had been exposed to the Western artistic styles that led him to deviate from his academic style. He returned to the Philippines in 1928 with new influences, met and worked with Carlos V. Francisco and Galo Ocampo. They formed the first triumvirate in Philippine modern art. In the same year, he had his first solo exhibition at Philippine Columbian Club in Ermita, Manila. He held more exhibitions and participated in group shows locally and internationally. He taught architectural design and history at Mapua Institute of Design and Technology in 1929 and also helped establish the College of Architecture and Fine Arts in UST. Together with HR Ocampo and Diosdado Lorenzo, they formed the Atelier of Modern Art in 1937. He married Jean Garrott, an American, teaching English and drama at the University of the Philippines. Edades was proclaimed National Artist for Painting in 1976.
Edades, the Father of Modern Painting in the Philippines, passed away on March 7, 1985.
“Modern Maria Clara” is on exhibition at Gallery XIV, Pillars of Philippine Modernism, Third Floor of the National Museum of Fine Arts.
Follow this page for more features from the National Fine Arts Collection. The #NationalMuseumPH is now open. You may book your visit through this website and click Book a Tour. View the link for the 360 degrees virtual tour of the nine select galleries at the National Museum of Fine Arts: http://pamana.ph/ncr/manila/NMFA360.html
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Text by NMP FAD
Photo by Bengy Toda
©National Museum of the Philippines (2021)
