132nd Birth Anniversary of Guillermo Estrella Tolentino
National Artist for Sculpture 1973
July 24, 1890 – July 12, 1976

The #NationalMuseumPH celebrates the 132nd birth anniversary of National Artist for Sculpture Guillermo Tolentino, born #OnThisDay in 1890 by featuring his sculpture Diwata from the National Fine Arts Collection (NFAC).

The Diwata is the winged fairy that welcomes the visitors upon entering the Spoliarium Hall. Made from reinforced concrete as a mortuary ornament for the Reyes Family Mausoleum in Malolos, Bulacan, this sculpture was a recast of the winged female figure that rise above the pylon of the Bonifacio Monument in Caloocan City, which Tolentino completed in 1933. The Diwata is a Gift to the National Museum by the heirs of Hermogenes S. Reyes and Teodora Tantoco Reyes.

Tolentino was known as a master in classical sculpture and was widely known for his classical representation of images and his mastery of various media in sculpture such as concrete, plaster, wood, marble, and bronze, among others. Besides being an exceptional artist, he is a musician and a writer. He is known to sign and put titles on his sculptures in baybayin, the oldest writing system of the Filipino people. He was honored as National Artist for Sculpture in 1973.

The National Artist died on July 12, 1976.

Visit the Security Bank Hall (Gallery XII) of the National Museum of Fine Arts to view more of his works. It features the Eskultor ng Lahing Filipino exhibition, honoring the life and works of Guillermo Tolentino.

You may also enjoy the link our 360 degree virtual tour of galleries at the National Museum of Fine Arts at http://pamana.ph/ncr/manila/NMFA360.html while you #StayAtHome.

#GuillermoTolentino
#Diwata
#MuseumFromHome

Text and photo by NMP FAD
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