341. Santo Stories: LA PURISIMA CONCEPCION of Guagua (under the care of the Tiongco-Villacorta Family)

LA PURISIMA CONCEPCION, Guagua

The story of the beautiful LA PURISIMA CONCEPCION of Guagua begins over a hundred thirty years ago, and has come to involved extended families beginning with Hipolito de Mesa Leoncio and wife Francisca Simon Chingcoangco, the first known owners of the image of the young Virgin.

The couple had acquired the image, and several others, in 1910, from Fr. Maximo Veron, the then-parish priest of La Natividad de la Virgen Church (now known as Immaculate Conception Paris of  Guagua). The other icons included the lifesize  Sto.Entierrro (“Apung Señor), Sto Niño Dormido (sleeping Child Jesus), and San Jose.

STO. ENTIERRO

NINO DORMIDO

 

More of these santos were acquired the same way by the couple’s cousins like the San Juan (Songco Family), Sta. Maria (Lozano Family) and Sta. Filomena (Lagman Family). 

LA PURISIMA CONCEPCION, was often described by the old members of the family as “beautiful beyond compare”, a most appropriate description as the face is exquisitely carved, showing the highest level of the carver’s skills. When descendant,  Johnny Tiongco Villacorta was cleaning the image, he found on its base the carved notation--AÑO 23 ~ 12 ~ 89, which dated the making of the santa to Dec. 23, 1889. 

When the family became Aglipayan converts, LA PURISIMA was transferred to the Aglipayan Church of Guagua and enthroned there. During World War II, LA PURISIMA, along with the family’s treasured images, were spirited away for safekeeping. The Virgin and the sleeping Niño were kept under the kamalig of the Gamboa Family, also kins of the family. The San Jose figure, however, did not survive the onslaught of war, when the Japanese burned the house.

LA PURISIMA used to wear a halo with 12 stars (“Dose Estrellas) which has now been lost, but she still has her star-designed, diamond-studded rostrillo (facial aureole), silver earrings in the shape of cherubs, and a gold pendant. Thankfully, she also has retained her century-old  “tiso de oro” vestments. 

In her old age, Lola Pacing Lozano, the eldest child who died at age 95 in 2004, once wistfully said to her twin siblings Minang and Sidang: “Ikwa tana mengatwa at mangamate obat, ing Virgen tamu sidsad ya parin keng lagu” (We have all grown to this ripe, old age, and some of us have passed away, but our Virgin still remains as beautiful as ever). Indeed,  through all these years, she has remained “beautiful beyond compare!”

The custody of the image of LA PURISIMA CONCEPCION (fondly called “Apung Puring” by the elders),as well as Apung Señor, the Niño Dormido and the replacement image of San Jose has  been entrusted to grandson Johnny “Buda” Tiongco-Villacorta, exacting a promise from him  to continue the family tradition and never to sell them. “Sadsad mula… pakyapusan at sundu mu ing gagawan mi karela agyang magdildil na kayu mung asin.  E yula pamisali, pangaku mu kekami yan” (Carry on..,care for them the way we did even if you go hungry, and have nothing to eat but salt. Promise us never to to sell them..).

CREDITS: All information and photos courtesy of Mr. Johnny Tiongco Villacorta

156. LA INMACULADA: The Conception of a Beautiful Restoration

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. The image of the Immaculate Conception, 28" tall (with halo) , as restored by Mr. Thom Joven.

One of my best santo finds of the year began with a search on the country’s leading online buy-and-sell site: sulit.com.ph. There, I found a vintage wooden San Jose with ivory mask and hands, a reasonably-priced piece that I quickly acquired.

It turned out that this was just the tip of the iceberg, for the collector-seller, after making his acquaintance, led me next to his antique santo treasures that he was sadly unloading for deep, personal reasons.

He directed me to his personal online site and I was immediately drawn to an exquisite 24 inch carved Immaculate Conception, a three-dimensional copy of Bartolome Murillo’s famous painting of the Blessed Virgin.

It was an almost accurate rendering of the iconic piece—right down to the tilted head of the Virgin, her crossed hands with delicately carved fingers, standing on a cloud based from which protruded the horns of a crescent moon and three small cherubims.

Amazing too, was the coloring of the figure—the encarna is in good condition as well, retaining its warm, pinkish hue despite scruffs and grime.

The antique Virgin was wonderfully preserved with normal wear associated with age, from its 12 star halo, jusi wig, right down to its satin vestments that were accentuated with simple gold embroidery.
In contrast to the fine carve figure, the vestments were rather plain, using synthetic gold colored thread and plastic sequins.

Overall, however, this Imaculada was a stunning, expressive piece—a museum quality santa—and best of all, it was available! I did not even bother negotiating with the seller, knowing that I would be helping him with his predicament.

At the same time, I was grateful too, for the trust that has been given to me, for having been chosen to continue caring for their family heirloom; after all, there were many interested buyers waiting in the wings.

When it was time for me to have Inmaculada restored, I had only one choice for this project which calls for a meticulous eye, skilled hands and an understanding of period styles: the master ecclesiastical artist, Thom Joven.

True, I wanted to have the image restored, but I also want the image to retain its aura of antiquity s, which to me, is the true test of effective restoration.

Fortunately, Thom shared this valid restoration concept, and he agreed to take on this project which took all of 8 months—long by any standard, but certainly worth the wait as the results show.

Much of the restoration involved cleaning the image, patiently done through cleaning it inch-by-inch with a mild cleaning cream.

Meanwhile, the vestments were recreated using old satin fabric stock, and the embroidery was traced and painstakingly copied too, using real gold thread, sequins and gold trims.

The missing parts of the carved cherubs on the base were replaced and the damaged spots were painted over, using the same marbleized paint effects.

The fragile wig was also replaced, replicating not only the length but also the drop of the curls!

Finally, the metalwork was buffed and replated. By the middle of July, it was time to bring the restored Inmaculada Concepcion home.

When I beheld it, she was such a beautiful sight. The draped vestment was perfect in every aspect—from the accurately copied embroidery, to such details such as the red underfabric lining of the cape.

 

 

The Virgin looked authentically antique from top to bottom, remaining true to the original, and to the concept of what true restoration should be.

148. HAIL MARY! : An Immaculate Restoration

This old ivory santa representing the Immaculate Conception was part of a cache of antique ivories offered at a Quezon City shop. It had the worst condition of the lot-- wigless, eyeless, with a wire armature left arm about to fall and a soiled underdress. The metalworks and the vestment were all missing.

My attention was actually drawn to a more complete ivory San Jose housed inside a broken virina, and had, in fact, made up my mind to buy it.

But when the dealer offered to throw in the other santa for just a bit more, I accepted the offer and came home with not just one, but two antique ivories.

True to its appellation as “La Purisima Concepcion”, the figure was carved simply, the hands in the folksy “tinidor” style. The face has distinct Chinese features, with a calm and pleasing expression.

It is fortunate that she has retained her cloud peaña, set on a boxy base, which dates this possibly to the second decade of the 20th century.

After having personally cleaned the image and fixed its sagging arm, I sent it off for restoration, a process that would take a little over a month. My project brief included restoring the eyes of the santo and its metalworks—to be kept as simple as possible, and also rewigging her with jusi hair.

The gold-embroidered dress was to be kept simple too, with a minimum of draping and tucking. A light satin blue cape and the lightest blush of pink satin made up her vestments.

 La Purisima Concepcion finally came home this weekend, looking so different than when I found her perched on a shop table just a few months ago.

I am glad I got her, as she looks beautifullys blessed and full of grace once more.

136. Retro-Santo: LA PURISIMA CONCEPCION of Malabon

LARAWANG TUNAY NG MAHAL NA BIRHEN. "La Purisima Concepcion". Malabon, Rizal. ca. 1960s.

Malabon’s most important Marian image is the Immaculate Conception, a 3-foot image believed to be over 300 years old. Enshrined at the parish dedicated to Her, the image has very graceful lines, with delicately chiselled features, with hands in a prayerful pose.

 Our Lady is dressed in flowing white robes and two wind-blown mantles, one of gold and the other in red and blue. She stands on a globe with a serpent crushed under her feet. Her magnificent metalworks include a crown, a halo and a luminous silver sun and crescent moon before the globe.

For the past 63 years, the people of Malabon and Navotas honor the image with a fluvial procession held every December 9. Before being installed in an altar on a casco or a decorated barge, the image is paraded along the streets on an anda, carried by men and followed by people serenading her to the borrowed tune of “Santa Clarang, pinung-pino”.

The image is then brought to the church for a 4 p.m. Mass; after which, our Lady is conveyed on the barge by fisherfolks as the rosary is prayed and Marian hymns are sung. The barge sets sail for the Navotas River, following the river bank, until the revered image is returned to the church.

98. RETRO-SANTO: La Purisima Concepcion of Malabon

LARAWANG TUNAY NG MAHAL NA BIRHEN, "La Purisima Concepcion, Malabon, Rizal". Ca. early 60s.

The Philippines’ titular patroness is the Immaculate Conception and practically every town in the country has a church or a chapel that honors our Lady under this title. The country’s leading shrine is the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros but one other popular place of worship is the Immaculate Conception Parish in Malabon (which started as a visita in 1600) which houses an ancient image of “La Purisima Concepcion”.

The Purisima image is attributed to an anonymous Pampanga carver in the 1700s, and is made from mulawin wood. Despite its antiquity, the image is in very good condition, lovingly cared for through the centuries by her devotees.

It is a smallish image, showing the young Mary with clasped hands atop a globe, dressed in vestments that gracefully drape her body, skillfully carved to give a windblown illusion of the Lady’s mantle. Wrapping her body is a ribbon-like veil that holds her hair at the back.

Several miracles have been attributed to our Lady. There is an 1880 account of a Chinese merchant who fell into the Malabon River, who was saved by a boat just in the nick of time. In gratitude, he donated a marble font to the church. In another later account, a group of businessman, fleeing the Japanese during the dark days of the last World War, hid under the church retablo and remained unseen by the pursuing enemy soldiers. They believed Our Lady covered them with Her mantle of protection. La Purisima was canonically crowned on 7 December 1986 on the basis of a Papal Bull issued in September 1986.

The image of La Purisima is the center of veneration every year, on her universal feast day, December 8, and the observance in Malabon lasts for several days. The first day is marked with a procession, while the Fisherman’s Festival is held the next day, highlighted with an evening Pagoda fluvial procession. Our Lady is welcomed back on land with greetings of Salve Regina. On Dec. 10, the Araw ng Concepcion is observed, marked with church baptisms, weddings, confirmations and barangay processions.

92. Keeping Her Pure & Simple: LA PURISIMA

My search for another Purisima Concepcion was spurred by my failure to get an beautiful ivory Mary with intricate silver metalworks and encased in its original (although broken) hurricane glass, complete with a carved topper.

I’ve never seen an antique santo so complete and available. The price, of course, was a major deterrent, and sadly, I had to pass it up; the Purisima went unsold, even after several price cuts.


When my favorite dealer called to say that he had an ivory Immaculate Conception for sale, I lost no time in looking it up. The fact that the santo belonged to another seller and that my dealer was just acting as a middleman did not hinder me at all from having a look. On my way to Pampanga, I took a short detour to his shop to check the item.

When I finally saw it, I was smitten by the antique piece—never mind that it did not have a base and that its metal works have all been lost. Its right foot also had a small missing wooden piece which I easily repaired with clay epoxy.

The head was of white ivory, of very good quality. The facial carving was excellent, depicting Mary at a tender age. It was outfitted with glass eyes and a human hair wig. It’s surprising that her long tresses were intact, save for a few thinning strands.


In contrast, the hands were carved in the basic “tinidor” (fork-like) style, with almost straight fingers with little definition. All fingers, however, were intact.


Remarkable too were here pierced ears—one ear still retained minute dangling earrings of gold and mother-of-pearl.

The vestments, though badly tattered and frayed, had most of the gold thread embroidery, which meant that they could be transferred on new fabric. There were quite a number of interesting details on her satin dress. On her chest was embroidered the Virgin’s monogram, AVM.



Sewn on the hem of her vestment was a small brass sun with a smiling face, which, on a regular ivory santo, would be a separate metal piece wired to the base.

It took some time for me to have the image restored by Dr. Raffy Lopez. First to be made was the globe base—which was an exact copy of the base of the Purisima that got away. The base had side trims of flower-and-leaf motif, with a serpent looped around it.


The vestments were exact patterns of her original clothes. The intricate embroidery was salvaged and re-sewn on an old, faded white satin, while the long shoulder cape was done in blue.


Meanwhile, the metalworks were designed ordered from metalsmith Dodong Azares. I opted for a simple 12-star halo, matched with a more complex Marian ‘corona’.

The biggest challenge was replicating the tiny, delicate earrings. Raffy’s jeweler friend, Noel Menguito, came to the rescue by painstakingly replicating the design of the original earrings in gold.

The final improvement was giving more volume to the long, but thinning hair of the Purisima using real human hair extensions. Mounted on its new base, my Purisima Concepcion was finally completed after over two months of restoration, ready to be taken home.

Standing next to my more elaborate ivories, my Purisima looks simple enough, the way a young Mary should be—no fancy frills, no extraneous accessories--giving credence to the saying that indeed, simplicity is beauty, pure and true.