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RPH Explanation

The document discusses the painting 'The Progress of Medicine in the Philippines' by Carlos Francisco, also known as 'Botong', created in 1953 for the Philippine General Hospital. It highlights the evolution of medicine in the Philippines through four eras: Pre-Colonial, Spanish, American, and Modern, showcasing the transition from traditional healing practices to modern medical advancements. Francisco aimed to honor the growth of medicine, celebrate Filipino culture, and enhance the hospital's environment with these works.

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jomarroxas10
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16 views2 pages

RPH Explanation

The document discusses the painting 'The Progress of Medicine in the Philippines' by Carlos Francisco, also known as 'Botong', created in 1953 for the Philippine General Hospital. It highlights the evolution of medicine in the Philippines through four eras: Pre-Colonial, Spanish, American, and Modern, showcasing the transition from traditional healing practices to modern medical advancements. Francisco aimed to honor the growth of medicine, celebrate Filipino culture, and enhance the hospital's environment with these works.

Uploaded by

jomarroxas10
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The painting I choose to present is “The Progress of medicine in the Philippines” by Carlos Francisco

Also known as “Botong”, When I was searching on internet about painting in the Philippines to present
here, I kept on seeing the iconic “Spoliarium” by Juan Luna which is famous for its deep meaning and its
historical significance, However, I find something that really interest me, with its history and how it’s
being painted/created, and it’s "The Progress of Medicine" So the painting of Carlos Francisco is a four
large series painting in1953 for the Philippine General Hospital.

Before we proceed with the paintings let us know first who is Carlos Francisco, Carlos Francisco he is
often called “Botong” he was a famous Filipino artist known for his historical paintings, He was named a
National Artist for painting in 1973, after he passed away, with his big contribution to Philippine art, Like
The progress of medicine in the Philippines. Botong was born and died in angono rizal, He painted "The
Progress of Medicine in the Philippines" in 1953, and since he was born in 1912, he was 41 years old at
that time. Let’s move on to the four painting that tells the story of how the medicine grew in the
Philippines through different times:

Pre-Colonial Era (before 1521)

As we can see in this painting there’s a woman here that called a babaylan who prays to heal a sick girl,
with a people kneeling around her. In this era, they use plants and special prayers to cure the people
illness.

Spanish Era (1521–1898)

In Spanish era, there’s a new medicine that came from the western, but it’s not enough, the people in
this generation still use plants and pray to God for help. As we can see, that this painting looks dark,
because as we can see that still a lot of people suffered from poor healthcare
American Era (1898–1946)

In this part of painting, there are new medication for people, like the vaccination, this painting shows
that doctors giving people a vaccination, the soldiers, and sick people from wards, and as we observe it,
there’s two men hiding under a plant, because they didn’t trust the new ways to cure people.

Modern Era (after 1946)

Since the medication are now involving, this modern era, Filipino doctors and nurses are now using a
modern tool like X-rays, and vaccines, and it’s starting to accept the people about this modern way to
cure those who has illness. This shows how far we’ve come with strong hospitals and schools.

Why He Painted It

 To Honor Medicine’s Growth: Francisco was asked by Dr. Agerico Sison, PGH’s director, and
other doctors like Dr. Eduardo Quisumbing to create these paintings. They wanted to show how
medicine improved in the Philippines, from early healers to modern doctors, to inspire hospital
visitors.

 To Celebrate Filipino Culture: As a nationalist artist, Francisco loved showing Filipino stories. He
painted these to highlight our people’s smarts and hard work in healthcare, mixing old traditions
with new ways.
 To Decorate PGH: The paintings were made for PGH’s entrance hall, a busy spot where patients,
doctors, and visitors pass by. They were meant to make the hospital feel special and proud,
showing its role in saving lives.

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