LOOK UP: A Study into the Sacred Art of Philippine Church Ceiling Paintings PDF

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LOOK UP A A SSttuuddyy IInnttoo TThhee SSaaccrreedd A Arrtt ooff PPhhiilliippppiinnee CChhuurrcchh CCeeiilliinngg PPaaiinnttiinnggss 2 JJooeell LLuucckkyy CC.. A Allddoorr For presentation at the 8th Biennial National Convention of Church Cultural Heritage Practitioners, Dapitan City, Diocese of Dip...

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LOOK UP: A Study into the Sacred Art of Philippine Church Ceiling Paintings Joel Aldor

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LOOK UP A A SSttuuddyy IInnttoo TThhee SSaaccrreedd A Arrtt ooff PPhhiilliippppiinnee CChhuurrcchh CCeeiilliinngg PPaaiinnttiinnggss

JJooeell LLuucckkyy CC.. A Allddoorr

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For presentation at the 8th Biennial National Convention of Church Cultural Heritage Practitioners, Dapitan City, Diocese of Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte, May 20-23, 2013 For publication in Pintacasi: A Journal on the Cultural Heritage of the Church in the Philippines, Volume IX No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author. Copyright © 2013. All Rights Reserved.

Introduction For ages, art has been used as a medium to evoke the senses, to create a human response, or to transfer information and meaning across several contexts and perspectives. But to which space the medium is specifically located, to whose audience it is presented, and to what use it is employed for, differentiates art from its many typologies. Sacred spaces create an effect to anyone who enters into them. Elated emotions, spiritual responses, or a state of grace and awe are manifested as the human senses recognize the sacredness through the tangible pieces of this domain. As the viewer looks at art, a tangible piece and part of a sacred space, a sensorial and cognitive experience happens which then translates into an awareness of a more definite knowledge and vision that the viewer could participate in. Art in a sacred space, therefore, is used to represent and re-create the divine realities, in a temporary place of the real world. Jesus once said to his apostles inside the temple: And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. Luke : 8, KJV . While the eschatological discourse of Jesus certainly forewarns us of the things to come, a more didactic approach can be inferred from this verse, in analogy to the study of Philippine church ceiling paintings. For as the viewer looks up, and lifts up his head, the beatific realities of Heaven are presented upon him to partake at the end times. The study into the sacred art of Philippine church ceiling paintings was determined by its several intentions, and acknowledging them thru this presentation. Spending a painstaking four years of work around the Philippines, the author tried to photo document every single church ceiling panel available while mulling over their wonder (and decay); digging into the archives from libraries and canonical books from parishes, and reviewing available literature about the subject. The work has entailed as well repeated interviews with the immediate descendants and families of the original artists who worked on the art, parish priests and parishioners local to the town’s church, art historians and heritage advocates, as well as consultations from contemporary painters, paint and canvas analysts, architects and engineers, structural and art conservators specialized in the field of conservation and restoration. The paper is an inspired presentation as a summation of all its parts, by sequence of its evolution, present state, its usage and its future; to be read in its entirety by the intended audience, with the ultimate hope of a translated appreciation thru perpetuation, preservation, and most importantly, actualization of the painting’s real intentions. In order to achieve this objective, this study tries to discuss and opens the critique of the subject in a way that has not been done by any related literature that have been previously published. In its attempt to be comprehensive (however not exhaustive) due to the interplay of history, culture, aesthetics and style, sociology, religion, faith and the liturgy, we may assume this undertaking to be very difficult. The author however, wishes that this paper will neither be too detailed, nor too abstract, for the reader to understand. It must be noted, however, that the study at this point in time is still under development, as many of its aspects and secrets are still waiting to be discovered and discussed. The text offers a basic introduction to the study of church ceiling paintings together with its complexities and problems that the author wishes to address. This paper, specifically written for presentation at the 8th Biennial National Convention on Church Cultural Heritage Practitioners, and for publication in the upcoming issue of the journal Pintacasi, only serves as a primer and an impetus to sustain the momentum of the work already gained from the past 4 years.

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The most probable end product of this study is a publication of the final material in several media: 1.) a book (both in paper and digital form) written on academic lines that contain stunning visuals thru photographic prints; 2.) an online version of the research available for the whole world to view; 3.) exhibits, talks and workshops about the subject and the prospect of its conservation, using technology to create interactive simulations, as if the viewer is actually inside the church where the ceiling paintings are located; and finally, 4.) a highly-detailed photo documentation of all existing church ceiling paintings around the Philippines using state-of-the-art equipment, which will be archived digitally using the latest methods, for reference in future conservation work by the parishes. The author, excited and hopeful at this prospect, wishes to culminate this work to its fullest potential, where God’s will allow.

The Philippine Church Ceiling: scheme, style and development A ceiling is more than a simple, functional engineering solution. The word ceiling traces its roots from the Latin word caelum, which means heaven or sky. In church architecture, the relationship of the ceiling to church life is made very obvious. From the early days of Christianity to the most contemporary 21st century design, the construction and art of a church ceiling painting is always an integral part of expression of spirituality and worship. The initial response of a person as one goes inside past the church portals could vary from a feeling of intimacy with God, to an overwhelming sense of awe. An elemental factor to the person’s foremost impact from his viewpoint is the height of the ceiling from the ground. The higher the ceiling, the more heightened the evoking emotion. Another contributing factor is the construction and engineering. All around the world, church ceilings are constructed Balilihan Church, Bohol with designs of increasing complexities. It could be a simple, flat rectangular portion made of wood, or a complicated vaulted construction of stone and steel with elaborate yet harmonic geometrical patterns and arrangements. The way the church ceiling is constructed conveys signals of wealth, success and authority, but at the same time also highlights the human intellect, will and creative power, all being put into use to echo God’s delightful order and creation in the universe. But where the ceiling’s structural engineering may only provide, art fills the void, in all its endless prospects. Combining both sophisticated engineering with possibilities of geometry and theology, church ceilings present an interesting design opportunity that defies the mind. Whatever the material, design or artistry, in the end, a church ceiling provides the place to represent the order of perfection and heaven. Paintings on church ceilings always take on an inspirational function. Many of the paintings contain objects that are seen from above the earth: the sky, the stars, the clouds. They also take on abstracted motifs to supplement the architecture. The all-important theme, however, is the instructive approach of visions of heaven thru iconography, programs and texts, expressed both explicitly and figuratively. Depictions of holy characters, biblical narratives, the angels, saints and martyrs, icons and symbols that could be both religious and secular in nature, are all arranged and decorated in an orderly fashion. By using paintings as aids to religious knowledge and spiritual enrichment, the church ceiling opens up the realm of the finality of salvation and sharing of God’s glory to the believer.

Painting scheme and order The shape and elements of a church ceiling determines the layout and order of the paintings. The main construction of the ceiling usually has the same planar area as the floor area of the church interior, which 6

includes the narthex or choir loft, the nave, the aisles, the transepts, the chancel and the dome or cupola. Ceiling construction takes on the shape of the usual cruciform plan of the churches prescribed by many church builders. In some churches, paintings may not be applied to all the mentioned places, but they are always painted in areas visible to the church goer and members of the clergy. In general, ceiling construction in Catholic church buildings in the Philippines were of simpler engineering (with a few exceptions) compared to the Western counterparts that take on larger, more complex and intricate construction. Yet these basic parts of the church ceiling allow for dramatic and artistic expressions of faith visible from the earth as one lifts his head up to the ceiling. From the entrance at the main door of the church, the ceiling could be apparent already by the viewer, but in some churches, the narthex portion is the first to be seen. It is not often that narthexes were included as parts of the ceiling painting scheme, but a good number of them contain depictions of the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, a usual choice for the churches in Bohol. The architecture of the nave is often complex enough to draw attention by itself. This is where both artistic impression and illusion come into supremacy. There is no prescribed church painting scheme followed for naves around Philippine churches, however, but it has been a tradition for artists to draw iconography and symbols attributed to the patronage of the local parish. In many Marian churches in the Philippines, naves may contain ceiling paintings attributed to the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, usually depicted in her glorious form in heaven, enthroned in the clouds and surrounded by clouds and angels. She can also be depicted in her different names and devotions, or with scenes from the Glorious Mysteries of the Holy Rosary, or symbolized using iconography mentioned in the invocations of the Litany of Loreto.1 In non-Marian churches, biblical narratives from the Old and New Testaments are the norms, particularly with Jesus’ pastoral life as mentioned in the Gospels. Imageries of the lives of the apostles, prophets, saints and martyrs are more apparent with parishes of their patronages, and are usually placed around the ceiling edges, or at the wall arcades that were painted as extensions of the nave St. Cecilia, Tubigon Church Choirloft painting scheme. Catholic traditions and rituals, clerical symbols, doctrinal expressions such as the Apostle’s Creed, and even instructional ways of practicing the faith may also be found. Side aisles, if present in a church, may or may not be part of the whole ceiling painting scheme. This could be due to differences in the height, construction and design as compared to the nave. In some churches, however, they may contain ceiling paintings that are secondary to the themes depicted in the nave ceiling. In Bohol, a number of churches have paintings portraying the Lives of the Saints or depictions of the Joyful and Sorrowful Mysteries. 1 Also known as the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, popularized by Pope Sixtus X in 1587.

The choir loft part of the ceiling is generally made part of the whole nave ceiling. The painting scheme of the nave usually extends to the choir loft, but images portraying Santa Cecilia playing the piano and King David playing the harp and singing the verses of the Book of Psalms are the usual paintings found there, providing inspiration for the choir as the sing liturgical songs for the Mass. Transept areas are usual locations of side altars and chapels that provide appropriate space for smaller ceremonies. The side altars normally contain sacred images important saints that support the devotional practices of the congregation. Thus the imagery may extend to the ceiling portions of the transept areas, but is not necessarily followed in all churches. It is often that the elements and iconography contained from the nave’s painting scheme spills into the transepts as well. )n other places, the painting scheme of the transept are made part of the painting scheme of the side aisles, especially when the side aisle ceiling paintings follow a certain theme, such as the Mysteries of the Holy Rosary, particularly the Nativity and the Crucifixion. Sometimes, the transept portions may not be included in the whole ceiling painting scheme at all, except for a few architectural motifs and ornaments. The chancel, or the sanctuary area, is the holiest place on the whole church, where ceremonies are enacted and allow people to partake in the divine. As such, specific attention is given to the design of its ceiling area. Much of the ceiling imagery in this area is largely inspired by the Holy Eucharist, thus paintings of the Last Supper, biblical scenes of the Passion and Death of Christ, as well as common iconography and symbols attributed to Jesus’ sacrifice such as the Agnus Dei, the Pelican, and instruments of the Passion. )t is also common to include images of the Creation of the World, Adam and Eve and the Fall of Man in this area. A number churches may also depict theocentric visions such as the Holy Trinity, or variations of the Pantocrator, a common imagery in Byzantine church apses. 2 Side portions that accompany the central area of the chancel ceiling may also contain images of saints that are considered secondary patronages of the parish. But perhaps the most dramatic and awe-inspiring part of the whole ceiling painting scheme is the dome or crossing area. As the locus of the whole church architecture, this area is usually adorned with glorious images, such as the Resurrection and Ascension, final revelations of the Bible such as the Heavenly Host, the Communion of Saints, the Last Judgement, and other imagery portraying promises of heavenly salvation. Angels of different hierarchies are usually found surrounding these images. Invariably in some churches, the circular dome or cupola is divided into equilateral parts, usually in slices of eight, each containing images of the Archangels, the Saints, and in Marian churches, symbols from the invocations of the Litany of Loreto. Supporting the dome are the four pedentives, where portraits of the Four Evangelists appear in their personas or accompanied with their symbols: Matthew with the angel, Mark with the lion, Luke with the bull, and John with the eagle.

Techniques, style and development The development of Philippine church ceiling paintings was extensively an offshoot of European styles, with Italian Baroque artistry as its biggest influence. The Baroque architecture of the 16th and 17th century was the conduit of such styles, prompting parish priests to continue the existing trend as they decorate and recreate the interiors of churches built in our shores. And even as the rest of the Western world started to move towards Neo-Classicism, Romanticism, eclectic revivals and modernism in interior church design, the

2

Denis R. McNamara, How To Read Churches: A crash course in ecclesiastical architecture (New York: Rizzoli, 2011), p. 236

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effects of the Counter-Reformation cultural movement in Europe was still very much evident in the evolution of church ceiling paintings in the Philippines. When the curas started to commission artists to paint church ceilings, they also became enormously influential and effectively determined to the artists the style and content of the work. Ceiling decoration, however, were largely not impressionable until 1876, when the works of Alberoni and Dibella in San Agustin Church in Intramuros became the benchmark of the subsequent works ever since. Thus, a swift departure from traditional church ceiling painting with medieval conventions took place, as flat images that do not contain highlights or shadows were replaced with paintings that have the playfulness of light and darkness, palettes of both subdued and varied hues, illusions of architectural space and profusions of theatrical air.

Quadratura, San Agustin Church

Many grand churches in Luzon and Visayas followed illusionistic ceiling painting techniques, particularly a technique known as quadratura. The Baroque movement of art in Europe introduced this trompe l’oeil concept of perspective and representation of architectural space, which has allowed artists to unify church architecture and painting, giving a more overwhelming impression of illusion. 3 Paintings were encased in false spaces that seem to continue the existing architecture in flat surfaces of the ceiling. Every effort was made to ensure that no space visible to the eye is left barren. In addition, Rococo elements of S- and C-shaped curves amalgamated into complex forms, breaking thru architectural borders, were added not just as accessories, but supplemented to the overall late-Baroque scheme of the interior church decoration of church furniture as well.4 In many cases, paintings may also extend to the baptisteries and vestry, such as the churches in Pila, Majayjay and Magdalena in Laguna, Batangas City and Tayabas City, and in Daraga in Albay. The camarin, or dressing room, of the image of Nuestra Sra. de los Desamparados in Santa Ana Church in Manila is decorated with ceiling paintings depicting several scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary. Even the underground cemetery of Nagcarlan in Laguna has wonderfully-executed trompe l’oeil effects in its ceiling paintings.

Though quadratura, by the name’s implication, means a prescription to a four-side feigned space, its application to our churches were delimited to include different and varied geometry. Toribio Antillon’s work in Taal and Batangas basilicas were prime examples of deviation from the stiff spaces painted by his teachers Alberoni and Dibella at the ceiling of San Agustin Church in Intramuros, as his quadratura paintings were a puzzling lattice work of rhomboids, triangles, hexagons, and even curved and irregular frames.

Antillon’s ceiling paintings were also characterized by the heavy use of grisaille, another deviation from the traditional use of bright colouring inside churches, pre-Alberoni. The monochromatic choice of colours may 3

Rudolf Wittkower, Joseph Connors, and Jennifer Montagu, Art and Architecture in Italy, 1600-1750, vol. 1 (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1999), pp. 35-36 4 Richard Stemp, The Secret Language of Churches & Cathedrals (London: Duncan Baird Publishers, 2010), p. 195

have been intended to create moods of somber and weight, but they could also be out of practical reasons, for a limited variety of colours can mean quicker and cheaper work, 5 compared to a full-coloured palette and in consideration with the largesse of the canvas and the infancy of the technique’s movement in the country. Antillon, however, allowed himself to use light, golden colours that combine well with the colour scheme of the walls, pillars, beams and friezes of the church interior. Local artists from churches south of Luzon tried to adopt the Antillon school of painting, but weren’t successful in fully imitating all the techniques....