Art Stroll Sunday Feature “Portrait of an Old Woman”
Happy Grandparent’s Day! Have you been to our museums with your lolo and lola?
This #ArtStrollSunday and in celebration of Grandparents’ Day, we are featuring a 1947 oil painting entitled “Portrait of an Old Woman” by Araceli Limcaco-Dans from the National Fine Arts Collection.
This work, currently on exhibit at The Early 20th Century Philippine Portrait Hall (Gallery IX) of the National Museum of Fine Arts was painted by the artist in 1947 when she was a freshman at the University of the Philippines’ School of Fine Arts. She was trained by Fernando Amorsolo and Guillermo Tolentino who eventually became our country’s first declared National Artists for Painting and Sculpture, respectively. The “Portrait of an Old Woman” was registered as a government property in 1948, the year after this painting was completed. The National Fine Arts Collection currently has one other work of the artist,”Yakap ng Kapayapaan” (2003, acrylic on canvas) which she generously gave as a Gift to the Nation through the #NationalMuseumPH in 2016.
Araceli Limcaco-Dans was born in Manila in 1929. Aside from being a prolific artist, Dans is also an art educator and held top positions in art organizations. After completing her studies, she joined the Philippine Women’s University’s and was the first director of its Institute of Fine Arts and Design which she headed until 1963. She also set up the art program of the Ateneo Grade School. From 1972 to 1973, Dans was also elected as vice president of the Arts Association of the Philippines, and eventually, its director in 1981-1983. In 2018, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Merit in Malacañan Palace.
We are open from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Tuesdays-Sundays. Come and view this painting and more with your lolos and lolas!
#NationalMuseumPH
#AraceliDans
Text and photo by NMP Fine Arts Division.
© 2022 National Museum of the Philippines
