(Elements of Perspective) / 1828 / Sociedad Economica / Manila, Imprenta de Sampaloc

Elementos de Perspectiva is a manual of drawing and painting written in Spanish. It was published in the Philippines on 26 Nov 1828 by the Sociedad Economica (Economic Society), an elite collective that initiated projects devoted to the arts. Imprenta de Sampaloc printed this handbook of 22 pages, divided into 12 chapters with 16 illustrations. The publication was preceded by a landmark event also involving the Sociedad. In April of the same year, the first examination of students of the Academia de Dibujo (Academy of Drawing) was administered by a panel from the Sociedad.

Recognized as the first official art school, the Academia’s first director was the esteemed painter and teacher Damian Domingo. He was believed to have contributed to the writing of Elementos. Under Domingo’s tutelage, the students “learned how to draw still life, render anatomy and perspective, paint in oil and aquarelle, and then prepare colors and surfaces. Sessions were also devoted to “outline drawing, decoration, plasterwork both natural and colored” (Flores 1998, 220-21).

Elementos details techniques of rendering perspective of buildings and architectural features rather than focusing on painting and drawing (Flores 1998, 220-21). It consists of the following chapters: (1) “Introduccion: Definiciones Preliminares” (Introduction: Preliminary Definitions); (2) “Construccion de las Lineas y Punto de que se ha Hablado en el Capitulo (Construction of Lines and Point as Discussed in the Previous Chapter); (3) “El Mismo Cuadrado Visto por el Angulo” (Viewing the Same Square from an Angle); (4) “De las Pilastras” (The Pilasters); (5) “Sobre Pilastra” (On the Pilaster); (6) “Pilastras Vistas de Angulo (Viewing the Pilasters from an Angle); (7) “Sobre Pilastras Vista de Angulo” (On Viewing the Pilasters from an Angle); (8) Puertas y Ventanas (Doors and Windows); (9) Colocacion de las Puertas y Ventanas en la Pared (Placement of Doors and Windows on a Wall); (10) “De los Arcos en la Perspectiva” (Arches in Perspective); (11) [Untitled]; and (12) “Practica de la Perspectiva” (Practice of Perspective). Such logic of instruction suggests the orientation of the Academia as a “trades” school, teaching its students the rudiments of perspectives (Flores 1998, 220-21).

Elementos de Perspectiva is classified as a rare book. In the Philippines, original copies can be found in institutional collections such as the Lopez Museum and Library as well as the Filipinia section of the Miguel de Benavides Library, University of Santo Tomas.