Art & Society

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Art comes in many mediums: writing, music, theatre, cinema, and visual arts. Across these mediums, art expresses beliefs, but it may also be used as a tool for cultural hegemony or propaganda (Fernández, 2025). For artists, art is an outlet to present their external realities and inner experiences to the world. It confronts change and injustice. According to the University of Dallas (2025), visual art transcends boundaries. Through shapes and colors, it becomes a vessel for communication. Art can influence the society we belong to, the culture we carry, the community we live in, and the injustices we face, and it gives us a way to articulate our emotions. Not all art resonates with us, yet whatever it is, it still holds value as a reflection of the artist’s vision and the condition of the society they live in. Amorsolo, Sorolla, Cabrera, Magsaysay-Ho, Monet, and Van Gogh are names prominent in the field of art. But despite the different art styles and content of the canvases, there is one similarity among them. Art is a mirror of society, but it also reflects the artist's emotions and preserves society by reflecting it. This summative assessment will profile Fernando Amorsolo and Joaquin Sorolla, artists who showcased the culture they experienced through their artworks, before comparing and contrasting them, THE ART OF REMEMBERING What art is and how does it reflect society? 2

Fernando Amorsolo was the country’s first ever recipient of the National Artist award in Visual Arts—He was then bestowed the title “Grand Old Man of Philippine Art. He is known for his paintings with beautiful lightings, which imbued his canvases with a ‘golden’ quality, landscapes and scenes of the countryside. (Fernando Amorsolo Artworks, 2022) Amorsolo grew up in a period of transition in the Philippines, spending much of his childhood in the countryside, where many of his landscapes are based. Amorsolo grew up under the tutelage of his Uncle, Fabian de la Rosa. He was raised under the guidance of his uncle, Fabian de la Rosa. For years, Amorsolo struggled to make ends meet. He would sketch and charge people 15 centavos for each sketch. As time went by, his style and techniques improved. He depicted the old Spanish traditions and structures he saw in Manila as a kid, from the perspective of someone who grew up in the countryside. Despite his family’s limited means, Amorsolo earned a degree from the University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts, graduating with honors in 1914. Afterward, he returned as a professor. Impressed with Amorsolo's work, Fernando Zobel offered to sponsor him to study abroad to improve his craft. Zobel sponsored Amorsolo’s trip to the Academia de San Fernando in Madrid. Limos (n.d.) During his stay in Spain, he was influenced by Sorolla, from whom he learned his signature lighting technique. Limos (n.d.) But as a painter, Amorsolo did not only create beautiful paintings; he used his creations to reflect the beliefs, values, conflicts, identities, and experiences of the society in which he lived. It conveys the artist's emotion and preserves society by reflecting it. FERNANDO AMORSOLO Grand Old Man of Philippine Art 3

For them, nature was the truth. It was truth with a thousand faces: a certain smile, a certain expression or a unique gestureFernando Amorsolo

Lot 39 Fernando Amorsolo (1892 - 1972) Planting Rice Estimate PHP 9,000,000 - 12,000,000Amorsolo’s paintings carried faith and harmony among the people, the land, and the community. In “Planting Rice (1949)”, Fernando Amorsolo has illustrated the “true reflection of the Filipino soul” (Salcedo Auctions, n.d.). The painting shows men and women working hand in hand in a rice field, with the symmetrical Mayon Volcano in the background. The farmhands wear bright clothes and salakot to shield them from the intense tropical sun, and a carabao plows the field. Amorsolo depicts these with mostly natural colors and realistic lighting, evoking a sense of serenity and delight in the countryside's innate charms. Additionally, the painting echoes a deeply held Filipino belief in bayanihan, the idea that work is communal and life is sustained together. His devotion to the countryside also reflects his worldview in which humility, patience, and acceptance of one’s place are seen as virtues. Amorsolo showed the farmers working with grace, not misery. The women, children, and elders appear together in shared work. FERNANDO AMORSOLO Beliefs and Values

FERNANDO AMORSOLO Bombing of the Intendencia (1942) shows the Intendencia in intramuros on Fire (Yu-Rivera, 2018). The Intendencia was a government complex, with customs and finance offices. It was one of the first buildings destroyed when Japanese bombs fell on Manila in December 1941 (Yu-Rivera, 2018). Amorsolo depicts people fleeing from the scene, with belongings in tow. On the right- hand side of the painting is a boat in the Pasig River, teetering as if about to sink. In Amorsolo’s signature style, the painting is situated amidst the orange sun at dusk. This documents the suffering, displacement, and destruction that Filipinos endured during the Second World War. It highlights a society under violent strain, in contrast to his serene paintings. Conflicts 6Fernando Amorsolo (1892 - 1972) Bombing of Intendencia oil on canvas 18" x 28" (46 cm x 71 cm) Opening bid: PHP 6,000,000

Amorsolo captured the spirit of the Filipino people with radiance and vitality. Painted in 1969, Pista sa Nayon depicts joyous, celebratory Filipino culture (Salcedo Auctions, n.d.). The fiesta is a shared experience: a day that the whole community sets aside to celebrate together. The tinikling, a traditional dance, reflects Filipino identity. By placing it at the heart of the scene, Amorsolo showcases the deep and rich Filipino culture, including how we dress, how we place music, and the communal life that we are a part of. Planting rice showed work and community, but Pista sa Nayon showed celebration. Identities and Experiences

Salcedo Auctions (n.d.) describes the painting as an “affirmation of heritage”. Amorsolo uses his signature techniques, such as color and lighting, to show harmony and the continuity of tradition. It shows the true side of the Filipino Experience. Tondo (2009) argues “the role and importance of heritage and tradition” in maintaining the identities of Filipino migrants in New Zealand. Similarly, Amorsolo’s painting helps keep Filipino Traditions alive by preserving the image of people gathering and celebrating together, allowing future generations to appreciate the cultural practices that shape the Filipino Identity. 8Fernando Amorsolo (1892 - 1972) Pista sa Nayon Estimate PHP 8,500,000 - 10,000,000 Oil on canvas 63.5 x 83.8 cm (25 x 33 in)

Fernando Amorsolo’s work captured different facets of the Filipino experience, from the beauty of rural life to the devastating effects brought by war. His works illustrate how we can preserve cultural identity while documenting a nation's realities. This allows viewers to reflect on how the Filipino experience continues to shape society. JOAQUIN SOROLLA Y BASTIDA Master of Light Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida is one of Spain’s most celebrated artists, but less well known outside his home country. He is dubbed Spain’s Impressionist. (The National Gallery, London, n.d.) Born in Valencia in 1863, two years later, Sorolla’s parents died in a cholera epidemic that devastated the city. He and his sister were later adopted by their maternal aunt and uncle. Sorolla began to show a talent for painting from a very young age. In 1885, he entered Valencia’s School of Artisans, part of the San Carlos Royal Academy of Fine Arts, where Sorolla explored maritime, classical, and folkloric themes in his works. Just like Amorsolo, who took inspiration from Sorolla, He too found a deep fascination with another Spanish painter: Diego Velázquez In 1885, Sorolla was awarded a residency in Rome by the Government of Valencia for his painting El grito del Palleter, in the following years. He lived in the Italian capital while traveling to Paris, where he became familiar with the dominant artistic scene during that time. Sorolla had a strong interest in social realism, focusing on the dramatic aspects of the most disadvantaged social classes. As time went by, Sorolla met painters such as Sargent, Zorn, and Boldini. This led to numerous trips around Spain to experiment with the changing lighting in various places. 9

JOAQUIN SOROLLA As Defense troops of the Artillery Park of Monteleón in Madrid, commanded b y Luis Daoiz, on May 2, 1808, against the French Soldiers at the beginning of the War of Independence. (Second of May 1808 (El Dos de Mayo de 1808), n.d.) The oil-on-canvas painting depicted the chaotic and theatrical events that unfolded on the 2nd of May during the uprising against the French. Bodies are scattered; the smoke of gunpowder is everywhere. The darker palette contrasts with the sunlit beaches for which Sorolla is known. The painting reflects how Spain remembered its resistance against the French. Sorolla created Dos de Mayo for an exhibition that highlights historical subjects. This suggests that art mirrors what a society chooses to honor and highlights what it experienced. (Sorolla, 2023) Conflicts 10The Second of May 1884. Oil on canvas.

JOAQUIN SOROLLA Sorolla captures the essence of Spanish identity by creating La Jota. The large-scale canvas captures a moment of communal joy and rustic celebration. The canvas does not merely contain figures in the painting, but channels the essence of Spain’s countryside and its people’s inhibited delight in life. (Bastida, n.d.) A regional dance and traditional clothing at the center, the painting reflects the identity of the Spaniards. Rooted in tradition and culture, the painting echoes the importance of traditional dance in a community. The customs, dress, and celebration carry a sense of identity for those involved. Identities 11

La jota Aragon Joaquín Sorolla Date: 1914; Spain

The oil on canvas painting by Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida depicts five women and two men working together to mend a boat’s sail. They are working outside on a patio, surrounded by verdant plants and flowers that are in bloom. As Sorolla spent the early part of his career painting works that delved into the societal issues he experienced, he later shifted his focus to the rural and more domestic side of life. He painted the local scenes of his hometown, Valencia. The coast of the Mediterranean (Heather, 2023) The skillful use of colors and light creates a feeling of depth and space in his masterpiece. The painting gives dignity to labor and manual work, highlighting the strong link between the man and the sea. With a smile on each face in the painting, you can see the beauty and essence of everyday life, particularly scenes related to the sea and fishing. Stringhetta (2025) JOAQUIN SOROLLA Beliefs, Values, and ExperiencesSewing the Sail Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida 1863 - 1923

Amorsolo and Sorolla lived in different regions and different generations, but their canvases speak to each other. Both painted their subjects in glowing sunlight, finding beauty in the mundane. Amorsolo, who spent seven months in Madrid on a study grant, is said to have been influenced by Sorolla. Both painters also illustrate the importance of culture in their work, as seen in Pista sa Nayon and Aragón, la jota. The two paintings echo each other, showing the importance of celebration to each community’s culture. Despite being thousands of kilometers apart, both show the joy of tradition through warm, sunlit color. As conflicts and wars enter the scene, both artists shift from their usual techniques, using darker palettes. In both, the change in color reflects how society experiences conflict.’ Yet despite this shared approach, the two artists reflect different societies. The first difference is scale. Amorsolo’s Pista sa Nayon presents Filipino identity through a single village fiesta. In contrast, Sorolla’s Vision of Spain is a series of fourteen murals that shape Spain’s identity across different regions, including Aragón, la jota. The second difference is how each presents conflict. Amorsolo’s Explosion (1944) includes the place, hour, and date of the moment as a record of the event, with red flames breaking through his usual blue sky. Sorolla’s Dos de Mayo (1884), in contrast, recreates an uprising from 1808, drawing on historical research. One shows a conflict as it unfolds, and the other shows it as a nation remembers it. DIFFERENT REGIONS, ONE CANVAS Comparison & Contrast 14

Beyond subject and technique, both artists demonstrate how art preserves a society’s collective memory. Through their canvases, they preserve the traditions and cultures that communities value, while their depictions of conflict show moments that shape a country’s identity and history. However, these two subjects convey different meanings. Whereas celebrations affirm a community’s shared cultural identity, conflicts confront the shared struggles behind it. Their works suggest that a society is remembered not only through its traditions and experiences but also through the hardships and battles it once fought to become the society it is now. Ultimately, Amorsolo and Sorolla reveal that a similar art style, especially the use of light and the depiction of everyday life, can convey two entirely different meanings beyond mere visual aesthetics. Both draw on their societies’ collective experiences, values, and struggles, yet the societies they paint differ in scale, in how they face conflict, and in what they choose to remember. Together, their canvases show art as a record that preserves and reflects a society. Different Regions, One Canvas 15 España y Filipinas Juan Luna

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