23 December, 1895
TODAY IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY
On December 23, 1895, Victorio Edades, the so-called “Father of Modern Art in the Philippines” and named National Artist in 1976, was born in Dagupan, Pangasinan.
Edades traveled to the United States and enrolled at the University of Washington in Seattle, taking up architecture and later earned a Master of Fine Arts in Painting. In 1930, Edades became dean of the Department of Architecture, University of Santo Tomas (UST), where he stayed for three full decades.
Among Edades’ major works were:
- The Sketch, National Museum Collection, 1928;
- The Builders, 1928;
- Cultural Center of the Philippines Collection, 1928;
- Interaction, with Carlos V. Francisco and Galo B. Ocampo, 1935;
- Demoiselles Davao, 1976;
- Kasaysayan, a mural for a Manila bank, 1979.
- His other achievements included:
- Pro Patria Award during the Rizal Centennial Celebration in 1961;
- Araw ng Maynila Award in Painting in 1964;
- National Artist Award in Painting in 1976;
- Degree of Doctor of Fine Arts, honoris causa in UST, 1977.
He died on March 7, 1985 at the age of 89.
(Ref: Philippine News Agency archive; Photo from davaocitybybattad.blogspot.co.nz/2012/01/victorio-c-edades.html)
