UC Davis

Fernando Amorsolo, a Filipino painter whose works were characterized by idealized rural landscapes populated by smiling laborers and peasants, started gaining popularity in the Philippines around the 1920’s and 1930’s. His romanticized imagery is contrasted by the political and social turmoil in the Philippines during his lifetime, from the overturn of Spanish colonial rule to the subsequent period of American occupation. By engaging with a close visual analysis of Amorsolo’s rural genre scenes, comparing his work with the European Impressionist painters he cites as influences, and analyzing his work through a postcolonial lens, this thesis paper will examine Amorsolo’s efforts to form a unified image of Filipino identity in the face of shifting colonial rule. In an attempt to define what it means to be a Filipino during a time when nationhood was continuously being denied, Amorsolo blends Impressionist painterly techniques with imagery that signals national identity in order to glorify both the Filipino countryside and the individuals who inhabit that space. In doing so, Amorsolo creates a multifaceted discourse about the conflict between identity, nationhood, and the effects of colonial rule, offering a unique look into the ways that colonial power affected the Philippines.