Carlos "Botong" Francisco: The Muralist of the Filipino Soul
In an era dominated by the gentle romanticism of Fernando Amorsolo, Carlos "Botong" Francisco, alongside Victorio Edades and Galo Ocampo (forming what was known as The Triumvirate), championed the modernist movement. His greatest contribution was single-handedly reviving the forgotten art of the mural. His style is unmistakable: bold folk colors, fluid, serpentine lines, and a sense of vigorous movement that brings every figure and scene to life.
Filipino Struggles Through History: Botong's Historical Panorama
In 1964 Botong was commissioned by the City of Manila to do a historical mural for the Bulwagang Katipunan. This depicts in visual narrative the history of Manila from Tondo’s valiant rajahs through the Spanish colonial period and the Philippine Revolution of 1896, the American regime, the Japanese occupation, and the postwar years to the 1960s.
