Pasión Tagala. Pinturas filipinas de 1813

Abstract

The research is concentrated in the study of 62 filipino paintings of the illuminated manuscript Pasión en verso Tagalo, done in 1813, that belong to the Library of the Real Colegio Seminario de los PP. Agustinos deValladolid, Spain.The topic is developed in six  chapters. In the first one is presented a summary of the evangelization of the Philippines. In the second and third, are studied the different rites and traditions of the Lent and Holy Week in the Philippine Islands through the centuries. Chapter four is dedicated to study the so called Pabasa or the rite of singing the Passion of Jesus, and the books about the life and passion of Jesus, used in this celebration. One of these books is the illuminated manuscript of Pasión en verso Tagalo studied in chapter five.Was written in 1813 in Bigaa, Philippines, and donated to the Library of the Augustinian Friars of Valladolid, by the Augustinian missionary Fr. Francisco M. Girón, in 1898. An attempt is made to know the author of the text, and the artist that did the paintings, probably one Spanish  Augustinian missionary. The sources of inspiration of the images represented, are mainly european engravings: the Bible of Nadal, the Catechism of Claude Fleury, and the works of art of many european artists (German, Flemish, Dutch, Italian, Spanish,  French). The 62 filipino paintings are studied in detail one by one, in chapter six, starting from the Creation of the World until the Last Judgement. Most of the works illustrate the life of the Virgin Mary, and the life of Jesus, specially the different moments of his Passion. In each one is proposed the source of inspiration. In the closing remarks is done one valuation of these extraordinary work of religious painting, unique in the Philippines. The study is completed with 65 colour illustrations, 62 of the paintings of 1813, and the other 3 related with the text.