360. The Bone Collector: A SANTO ÑINO FIND IN INTRAMUROS

BONE-HEAD SANTO NINO with Wooden Body

There was a time that Intramuros had a small antique shop section, thanks to the development of a heritage district that started in the early 1980s. The district included the restored Casa Manila, a 19^th century house at the Plaza San Luis Complex, along Gen. Luna St. The complex attracted different establishments like restaurants, souvenir shops, arts and antique shops.

The Nino, as found, Galeria Andrea, ca. 1998

One of the popular shops located here was Galeria Andrea, owned by Pampanga congresswoman Andrea Domingo, who would later become Immigration commissioner and PAGCOR chairman. She turned her antique collecting hobby into a modest business in Intramuros, and it was in her shop that I found this small, but lovely Sto. Niño of wood and bone, sometime in 1998.

No more than 10 inches tall, including the base, the santo is depicted in a royal French costume, reminiscent of the outfit worn by King Louis XV. The Sto. Niño of Malolos wears a similarly-inspired outfit. Obviously, the image was repainted in garish white, blue and dark brown. Random painted flourishes decorate his tunic, highlighted by a body chain over the torso.

But what drew me to the santo was the face, which, initially I thought to be ivory as it was so white. It was the only material made of bone—everything else, including the hand holding a small orb (one hand is missing)--were made of wood.

I had to take a second and third look to see if it was really made from bone, but so well done—from the neck folds, define aquiline nose, to the wisp of his smile, and his side-glancing glass eyes—all contributing to its pleasing, amiable expression.

It makes one think that the head deserves a better body, maybe like those manikin-types, reserved for richly-dressed ivory santos. But this Niño has its own distinct appeal, and the wooden body itself is well-carved, and well-proportioned. Note, for example, the careful facial carving, the symmetrical folds of the cape, and the stance of the booted legs, with one knee slightly bent.

The shallow relief carving of the peaña (base) is a bit difficult to figure out; vaguely, I could make out a heart with a cross on top, entwined with thorny vines. The image was meant to wear a wig, and perhaps, a crown. De bulto images with wigs are more common for female saints, making this Niño a scarce find.

Antique bone santos have always played second fiddle to ivory santos, which are more prized and therefore, more expensive. But to me, my bone Sto. Niño find evokes the same feelings of appreciation and nostalgia for our religious folk art as when I see ivory santos--so in that sense, this Niño is just as precious and cherished for keeps!

POSTCRIPT:

MRS. ANDREA DOMINGO opened GALERIA ARTS & ANTIQUES in LRI Plaza, Jupiter St., in Makati , and she kept the business for 26 years. Today, her remaining collection are housed in he home city museum in San Fernando, Pampanga called MUSEUM OF PHILIPPINE ARTS AND CULTURE (MOPAC). One gallery is dedicated to her incredible santo collection:

309. A PRIVATE COLLECTOR'S TREASURE-TROVE OF SANTOS

In one of the exclusive villages in Makati is the residence of a private collector--an academician,  translator, author and professor, who has cultivated a taste for fine Philippine antiques. A fellow Kapampangan, I met this getntleman at our cultural study center, which attracts many scholars of history and cultural heritage workers like him. I had the privilege of being invited to his home, where I had a peek at his modest collection of local sacred art. These are mostly santos that run the range from folk to classical, simple to ornate, wood to ivory. Just look at the treasures that his house holds: 

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 A small, ivory Nino with a dressed manikin body, and housed in its own urna.This must have been a part of a Holy Family tableau.

 A folksy trio representing the Holy Family. The heads and hands are made from carved bone. The santos have primitive bodies with wire armature arms. In their original embroidered satin dresses.

 A very small polychromed Bohol Virgin with a replaced ivory head and hands, standing on a cloud base carved with cherubs. It is housed in an equally colorful urna.

 This is a large Santo Nino, darkened and reddened with age. Outfitted with glass eyes, it has a clownish expression and the carving style has a distinct folksy feel.

 I helped the collector acquire this beautiful  3-foot image of the Immaculate Conception by introducing him to an office mate whose fiance's family once ran an antique shop in Greenhills that has since closed down. Despite the crack on the body, the carving of this figure, and its original encarna, are superb.

 A wooden, painted icon of the Holy Trinity. It is painted on a thin, wooden board. Bohol provenance.

 This century-old processionl head of a Cristo for an Agony in the Garden tableau is an outstanding piece, finely carved with details like the high cheekbones, exposed teeth, deep nostrils, and the fine strands of hair on his beard,

 Crucified Christ rendered in ivory, hangs on a hardwood cross outfitted with silver accessories: cantoneras (finials), YNRI, rayos, Christ's potencias, and tapiz. Ot is housed in a glass dome (virina).

 A primitive Sacred Heart of Jesus. The moonface-figure has very little details as seen from the simple drapes on his vestment.

 Another wonderful example of a polychromed Virgen from Bohol enshrined in her own nail-less urna or altar, painted with still-vibrant colors.

 A forlorn-looking Christ the King figure seated on his thrown, missing a scepter and a crown.Such figures are enthroned in family homes, often in the living room.

 Sleeping Santo Nino in ivory. prized in many Filipino homes, Heirloom Nino Dormidos are often passed from generation to generation.

 A naif carving of San Isidro Labrador, patron saint of farmers and laborers. This small santo,with its trademark polychrome painting,  comes from Bohol.

A well-carved crucifix, with the corpus of Christ in wood. The dead Christ wears a silver loincloth, and his head sports silver tres potencias and a crown of thorns. The end finials of the cross plus the YNRI, are all made of silver.

260. Santo Stories: APUNG NIÑO OF MABALACAT

Mabalacat, a Recollect town--and now a city--has but a handful of antique santos to show, owned by a few local families. The most well known--especially for its antiquity--is a medium-sized Sto. Nino under whose gaze, many Mabalaquenos have sought comfort and answers to their prayers for many generations. Apung Nino, they call this figure, owned by the Cunanan Family and their forebears from way, way back, that nobody remembers anymore its origin. and his veneration is open to all who visit His shrine. now weathered and darkened with age, but who continues to shower His people with graces, blessings and--many believe--wondrous  miracles.

In a humble, nondescript home embraced by lush,  flowering plants and trees, the Cunanans have enshrined Apung Nino in their home altar, a home they have opened to devotees who wish to visit and pray before the Holy Child. The house itself is old, but not as old as Apung Nino, a be-wigged, plump-ish figure of the Christ Child on a gilded base, with an orb on one hand, and the other raised in benediction.

Metal 'tres potencias' adorn Apung Nino's head, and that's just about the accessories he owns. Devotees, however, have gifted the revered image with presents through the years--a necklace, a locket, simple pieces of jewelry Even his vestments are austere by present-day standards. At home, Apung Nino wears simple house clothes; on the town fiesta, He dons more special clothes embroidered with gold-colored threads.

The caretaker of the image that everyone remembers was the late Engracia "Apung Asyang" Sengco Castro Cunanan,who tended Apung Nino along with children Yoyong, Roming, Ising, Nanding, Carding, and Fe Cunanan. After Apung Asyang passed away on 24 October 1987, and upon her death, her daughter Fe took over her duties. She thus continues the tradition of being a "camarera" of the family image began by her ancestors many years ago.

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Apung Nino's special days are on the Feast of Sto. Nino every January and on the town fiesta of Mabalacat. During the fiesta celebration, Apung Nino gets to wear His special vestments and gets to go out of His Agusu home and, borne on a carroza, joins the festive town procession. And as the Holy Child makes the rounds of the town, one could hear the silent intonation of prayers of the faithful who have come from all over to give thanks and praise....

"O Senor Sto. Nino, You are Our King and Our God. We worship you. You are our strong Defender. We turn to you forever and ever...Amen".

247. PHILIPPINE SANTO NIÑOS: Stunning, Startling, Surprising!

The Filipino is a child at heart, which explains the widespread devotion to the Holy Child Jesus in the Philippines. It also explains why—on His annual festival in January, owners of Niño images, led by members of the Congregacion del Santisimo Nombre del Niño Jesus, give rein to their unbridled child-like fantasies as they take out their images for procession.

Along Roxas Boulevard, scores of Sto. Niño statues, of all shapes and sizes and bearing various titles and appellations, could be seen on their floats, dressed and decorated in the most wondrous varieties—from regal to riotous, fancy to flamboyant—all guaranteed to dazzle, startle and surprise.

In the 1994 edition, there were Bambinos like these, inspired by Italian-style representations of the Child Jesus..

There were little Niño that came shielded from the elements in spectacular Baldochinos such as these..

This pair of cute pair were dolled up as—the Pope. One was wearing the Papal Miter and the other, a golden Papal Tiara.

Only in the Philippines can one see the Holy Child in the national costume for men—the Barong…

 Attracting extra attention were these Infant Jesus statues attired in Ethnic Regalia…

 Strange as it may seem, there were Niños garbed as Warriors, ready to do battle…

Meanwhile, there were a couple of Sleeping Sto. Niños, oblivious to the noisy, adoring crowds..

A trio of little Jesus figures were borne on Horses—one, carried by a chariot flown by the mythical winged horse, Pegasus, and another, led by kiddie cocheros…

Still others were presented using Musical-Themed backdrops, like the Las Piñas Niño that featured a bamboo organ, and another Holy Child, being serenaded by a guitar-playing figure.

There were overly-decorated floats overflowing with flowers, blooms, petals, leaves and fruity décor, totally overwhelming the poor little Holy Child—you could scarcely see Him!

Thank heavens, there still were a few familiar Santo Niños that many could recognize among those in the procession—like this replica of the much-revered Santo Niño of Cebu whose depiction remains true to the original, thus inspiring true reverence!

222. WHERE HAVE ALL THE SANTOS GONE? part II

IMMACULATE TRANSACTION. This spectacular Immaculate Conception of over 3 feet, appeared for sale on ebay from dealer "robacus" or "losantiguos", who was allegedly involved in church theft sometime in 2003-04.. The case was later dismissed.

This spread of fabulous santos appeared on the ebay page of Rory Bacus, who sold antique santos under the name "robacus" and "losantiguos". After some objects were found in his house, the Cebu archdiocese sued the dealer for fencing various religious artifacts in October 2003.

In April of the next year, a decision was handed down by the Cebu Regional Trial Court dismissing the case against Bacus.

Regional Trial Court Judge Ireneo Lee Gako Jr., in a Feb. 20 order, exonerated  Bacus of the charges of violating the Anti-Fencing Law. The court also ordered the release of 278 religious icons and artifacts to Bacus.

The dismissal of the case greatly disappointed Church officials who expressed their disgust over the outcome of the case. Fr. Carlito Pono, head of the Commission on the Cultural Heritage of the Church, admitted that while some of the parishes that reportedly lost icons had refused to cooperate, others could not find any evidence to prove ownership of the stolen items.

While the case was dragging, Bacus returned to eba,  although this time around, his posted items were smaller, primitive santos--the kinds one can readily find in downtown Manila antique shops.

Ninos, such as these, obviously carried by bigger santo figures like San Antonio, Virgen del Rosario, etc. were also listed on ebay. Some were sold, others withdrawn for sale even after a winning bid had been placed. The dealer sent explanatory messages to the effect that the item had been sold in an antique fair and that he had forgotten.

The noted antique dealer, Rory Bacus, passed away, sometime in 2013. The whereabouts of his remaining antique santo stock remains unknown.