19th Century Angono master shown at Met Museum

One of the most treasured artists of Angono during the Spanish and American Periods, Juan Senson is being presented in an exhibit by the Metropolitan Museum of Manila until May 2.

The show, Juan Senson: 19th Century Master of Angono, presents a rare gathering of the master’s religious works that continues to have a pervasive influence on the spiritual landscape of the town of Angono.

Little is known of the master Juan Senson, especially outside of Angono. Born in 1847, Senson, known in his town as Tandang Juancho, is considered one of the town’s "Nuno sa Sining" as he was the first of the known and talented artists to have contributed religious images to Angono and its nearby towns. His enduring images of Christ, the Virgin, angels, and saints adorn the private homes and public spaces of his hometown. His Via Crucis, or Stations of the Cross, for example, are found in the confines of Angono’s Saint Clement Parish Church.

Senson also extended his reach beyond the boundaries of the province of Rizal. His participation in the first ever Regional Exposition of the Philippines of 1895 crashed the myth about him as a regional artist. His talent was also shown and appreciated by a wider audience that is Manila. His participation to the exposition came through the majestic Vista Parcial del Pueblo de Angono y la Laguna de Bai, a secular work which shows the 19th century lifestyle and topography of Angono. The painting, now one of the prized possessions of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, will iconically introduce Senson in the exhibit.

In preparation for the exhibit, the show’s curator, Prof. James Owen Saguinsin undertook a comprehensive research on the master for 10 years. Saguinsin, also a son of Angono, has in fact uncovered other Senson works since he started the study for his undergraduate and graduate thesis at the UP. "The show will definitely give us fresh insights on how he lived, how he was as an artist, and how he was distinctly shaped by his hometown," says Saguinsin.

Juan Senson: 19th Century Master of Angono will until May 2 at the Tall Galleries of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila. A curator’s talk and a heritage tour of Angono will also be held in connection with the exhibit. For details on the show and its collateral activities, call the Museum at 523 0613 or 523 7855.