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Boxer Codex...

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Boxer Codex Boxer Codex is a manuscript written circa 1595 which contains illustrations of Filipinos at the time of their initial contact with the Spanish. Aside from a description of and historical allusions to the Philippines and various other Far Eastern countries, it also contains seventy-five colored drawings of the inhabitants of these regions and their distinctive costumes. Fifteen illustrations deal with Filipinos.

It is believed that the original owner of the manuscript was Luis Pérez das Mariñas, son of Governor General Gómez Pérez das Mariñas, who was killed in 1593 by the Sangleys (Chinese living in the Philippines). Luis succeeded his father in office as Governor General of the Philippines. Since Spanish colonial governors were required to supply written reports on the territotries they governed, it is likely that the manuscript was written under the orders of the governor.

The manuscript’s earliest known owner was Lord Ilchester. The codex was among what remained in his collection when his estate, Holland House in London, suffered a direct hit during an air raid 1942. The manuscript was auctioned in 1947 and came into the possession of Prof. Charles R. Boxer, an authority on the Far East. It is now owned by the Lilly Library at Indiana University.

The Boxer Codex depicts the Tagalogs, Visayans, Zambals, Cagayanons and Negritos of the Philippines in vivid colors. Except for the Chinese, however, its illustrations of inhabitants of neighboring countries are odd looking. This suggests that the artist did not actually visit the places mentioned from the text, but drew from imagination. Boxer notes that the descriptions of these countries are not original. The account of China, for example, was largely based on the narrative of Fray Martin de Rada. The technique of the paintings suggests that artist may have been Chinese, as does the use of Chinese paper, ink and paints.

Natives:             

A Binukot Lady from the Cagayan Valley (Possibly Ilocano) Highland Igorot Warrior from Cagayan Valley or Cordillera Highlands (Possibly Ibanag) Couple with tied long hair and Kampilan hilt from Taimei Anchorage, Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, Philippines (Possibly Pangasinense or Ilocano from the old Caboloan state in Pangasinan that fell merely 14 years ago from when this was first illustrated) Zambal hunters from Zambales Zambal hunters hunting A couple belonging to the Zambal warrior-hunter class. The image shows a culture of falconry Aeta or Negrito hunters Tagalog royalty in red (the distinctive color of his class) with his wife. Tagalog royal couple in red, the distinctive color of their class. Tagalog maginoo (noble class) wearing blue (the distinctive color of his class) with his wife. Native common women wearing simple clothes and headscarves (likely Muslims from Maynila in the 1500s) A Native Binukot Lady (Possibly Visayan) Visayan kadatuan (royal) couple

 Visayan kadatuan (royal) with his wife wearing red, the distinctive color of their class.  A couple of the timawa or tumao (Visayan martial-feudal class; later demoted to freedman status)  Pintados of the Visayas, showing their patok or tattoos  Native Visayan uripon (slaves). Foreigner:  Tatar (Likely Mongol) Noble with Wife from Tartary (Likely either Mongolia or Manchuria)

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Manchu Noble with Wife from Dalian, Manchuria (then ruled by Ming Dynasty China) Emperor & Empress of Ming Dynasty China Noble Prince and Princess from Ming Dynasty China Mandarin Bureaucrat with Wife from Ming Dynasty Ming Dynasty Chinese General with Attendant Chinese "Sangley" Couple living in Manila, Philippines wearing hanfu from Ming Dynasty Another Chinese "Sangley" Couple living in Manila, Philippines wearing hanfu from Ming Dynasty She or Hakka Chinese Merchant with Wife from Ming Dynasty China Japanese Couple (Possibly Samurai/Ronin) living in Manila, Philippines, wearing yukata with hair styled in Chinese fashion, from Japan during Nanban trade era Vietnamese Noble with Wife from Giao Chỉ, Đại Việt (Tonkin, Vietnam) Vietnamese Warrior with Wife from Giao Chỉ, Đại Việt (Tonkin, Vietnam).[Source indicates that male warrior was likely sourced from Wokou Pirate crews of same era, hence loincloth battle-dress] Vietnamese Noble with Wife from Quảng Nam, Đại Việt (Vietnam) Cham Couple from Champa (in modern-day Southern Vietnam) Siamese (Thai) Warrior with Wife from Siam (Thailand) Khmer Couple from Kampuchea (Cambodia) Taiwanese Aboriginal Headhunter Couple from Keelung, Spanish Formosa (Taiwan) Taiwanese Aboriginal Headhunter Couple from Tamsui, Spanish Formosa (Taiwan) Chamorro Hunter from Marianas Islands (Guam/Northern Marianas) with Spear Chamorro Hunter from Marianas Islands (Guam/Northern Marianas) with Bow Warrior with Japanese swords and armor, Possibly a Mercenary from other southeast Asian territories. Malay Couple from the Terangganu Sultanate (in Modern-day Malaysia) Bruneian Warrior with Wife from "Burney" (Borneo or Brunei) Javanese Warrior with a spear and shield from "Iaua" (Java, Indonesia) Sangirese Warriors from Siau Island, Sangir Archipelago (North Sulawesi, Indonesia) Moluccan Warrior from the Moluccas (Maluku Islands, Indonesia)...