Wednesday, May 1, 2013

147. Retro-Santo: LA ULTIMA CENA OF SAN MIGUEL, BULACAN

HULING HAPUNAN, Processional santo characters from "The Last Supper", or "La Ultima Cena," as they are featured in a 1934 issue of Graphic Magazine. The caption that describes these images that are still extant today is quoted in full below.

"The Last Supper"  is not from an old print or painting as you would suppose, for the thirteen figures were the handiwork of unknown Filipino sculptors of San Miguel, Bulacan. A highly valued acquisition of the well-known Buencamino, de Leon, Santiago-Mossesgeld families of San Miguel, Bulacan, these images date as far back as the early part of the 18th century. They were also another attraction, day-in and day-out, during the Philippine Exposition of Christian Arts. These images are life-size and have never before been shown to the general public.

3 comments:

  1. I still don't believe that "these images date as far back as the early part of the 18th century."

    I'm guessing late 19th to early 20th century -- considering that these are life-sized, and San Miguel was not a wealthy prominent town earlier than then.

    Too bad there isn't any hard evidence for any dating.

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  2. They definitely are from the period you mentioned.

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  3. 18th century images show some unique features--almost rounded bulging eyes,some sort of unevenness in stature, and polychromy coating.

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