Purveyor of Knowledge and Emerging Publisher of Content and Visually Driven Books

February 7, 2026

The History and the 1930s Graduates of the University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts

The History and the 1930s Graduates of the University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts (First of Three Parts)
by: Christiane L. de la Paz

February-March 2014--The School of Fine Arts was established by authority of Act No. 1870, founding the University of the Philippines which was enacted by the Philippine Assembly on June 18, 1908. The School was opened to students in June, 1909. It was first housed in a building rented by the University at 931 Calle Resurreccion Hidalgo, Quiapo. In May, 1926, it moved to 1001 California Street, Ermita, and in November, 1933, it moved to Villamor Hall where it is present housed.


The object of the School, besides the teaching and development of the graphic and plastic arts in their various and manifold branches, which is its chief objects, is “to exert an influence toward the advancement and refinement of those industrial trades which are of an artistic nature; as gold and silver work, ceramics, embroidery, lace-making, and metal work.”

The 1930s Graduates


Florentino Macabuhay (1931)


Carmen Bernabe


Anastacio Caedo (1932)


Vicente Dizon (1932)


Marcelino Rivera (1932)


Pilar Santiago (1932)


Wenceslao Garcia (1933)


Anita Magsaysay (1933)


Simplicia “Nena” Saguil (1933)


Julian Jumalon (1934)


Dominador Ilio (1935)

Eduardo Perrenoud (1935)

Martino Abellana (1938)


Alejandro Celis (1938)

Lamberto R. Hechanova
LAMBERTO HECHANOVA Christiane L. de la Paz Lamberto Hechanova took up residence in the East Coast in the 1960s. Tell us about the development of his artistic career in this period. ‘Bert’ arrived in the...
lee mas...
The Angono Petroglyphs
The Angono Petroglyphs
The Angono PetroglyphS by: Teta Limcangco     The Angono Petroglyph is a recent archeological breakthrough during the 80’s found in the mountainside of Angono and Binangonan by Carlo “Botong” Francisco....
lee mas...
Divinely Beautiful Greek charioteer comes to London
Divinely Beautiful Greek charioteer comes to London
April 2012, London--He is called the charioteer and although damaged, with his turning, athletic body and robe so fine and clinging that every muscle is revealed, he is one of the most exquisite surviving Greek sculptures. A...
lee mas...
Daniel Coquilla's Art of Street Culture
Daniel Coquilla's Art of Street Culture
February-March 2011-- Daniel Coquilla, fondly called Dansoy, is a painter of whom nothing is known yet his body of work are never derided and ignored by critics, curators, historians and collectors alike. He took interest...
lee mas...
Painting is by Rembrant, not his Pupil -Confirms Museum in Rotterdam
Painting is by Rembrant, not his Pupil -Confirms Museum in Rotterdam
THE HAGUE (AFP) -- A painting attributed for 300 years to a pupil of Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn was in fact the work of the 17th century master himself, a Rotterdam museum said Wednesday. "Up to now, we thought that...
lee mas...
Leonardo's Lover probably painted the Prado's Mona Lisa
Leonardo's Lover probably painted the Prado's Mona Lisa
April 2012--The Prado’s copy of the Mona Lisa was most likely painted by Salaì, Leonardo’s assistant and reputed lover. Salaì, whose nickname means “little Satan”, joined his master’s...
lee mas...
Porfirio Castaneda on His Tatay, Dominador Castaneda
Porfirio Castañeda on His Tatay, Dominador Castañeda by: Christiane L. de la Paz March 2016–Dominador Castañeda spent his early education at the Escuela de Bellas Artes in Quiapo, Manila. In 1924,...
lee mas...
Kitty Taniguchi's Quintessential Feminine Aesthetic
Kitty Taniguchi's Quintessential Feminine Aesthetic
May-June 2010--Kitty Taniguchi is among the few female painters who had successfully trespassed upon a male-controlled territory. For the past thirty years, she has faithfully explored themes of femininity and feminine modes...
lee mas...
Carcar, Cebu
Carcar, Cebu
July 2016-- Carcar has been established a component city of the Province of Cebu by virtue of Republic act 9436 which passed into law on April 15, 2007, and ratified by the people of carcar in a referendum on July 2, 2007....
lee mas...
Munch's 'Scream' beats auction record at $119.9 mn
Munch's 'Scream' beats auction record at $119.9 mn
May 2012--"The Scream" is one of four versions of a work whose nightmarish central figure and lurid, swirling colors symbolized the existential angst and despair of the modern age. It was sold by Norwegian Petter Olsen, whose father was...
lee mas...