Fernando Amorsolo

(1892 - 1972)
Fernando Amorsolo painted and sketched more than ten thousand pieces over his lifetime
using natural and backlighting techniques. His most known works are of the dalagang
Filipina, landscapes of his Philippino homeland, portraits and WWII war scenes.

Born in Calle Herran in Paco, Manila, on May 20, 1892, Fernando Amorsolo began drawing
and sketching as a young boy. The family lived in Daet until the death of his father. At that time
his mother moved the family to the home of her cousin, artist Don Fabian dela Rosa in Manila.
Amorsolo was 13 years old at the time and in order to help provide for his family, he sold his
drawings and began to study art under dela Rosa.

In 1909, he began studies at the Liceo de Manila and graduated from the University of the
Philippines in 1914. After designing the logo for Ginebra San Miguel, Amorsolo received a
grant to attend the Academia de San Fernando in Madrid from businessman Enrique Zobel
de Ayala in 1916. A major influence in his painting style during this period was painter Diego
Velasquez.

Fernando Amorsolo used family members as subjects for many of his sketches and paintings.
When WWII broke out, Amorsolo continued to paint from his home in Manila. Instead of
painting landscapes with bright sun filled skies, he did works that portrayed the human suffering
and wartime scenes along with self portraits and the Japanese occupation soldiers of the time.
Many of these paintings were exhibited in the Malacanang presidential palace in 1948.

Following the war he returned to painting landscape scenes of the countryside and portraits. He
painted oil portraits of all of the Philippine presidents, revolutionary leader General Emilio
Aguinaldo, and General Douglas MacArthur.

Due to the popularity of his works he cataloged them and developed a technique to paint them
quicker to meet the demand.
Throughout his life Fernando Amorsolo worked as an instructor, a draftsman for the Public
Works, chief artist for the Pacific Commercial Company, illustrator for children's books and
magazines, and served as Director at the School of Fine Arts before he retired in the early
1950s.
In the twilight years of his life, Amorsolo continued painting through declining health. He was
married twice and had 13 children before a heart attack eventually took his life on April
24, 1972.
Some of his Works

Afternoon meal of the rice workers, 1951, oil on canvas. Won first prize at the New York
World's Fair.

Mango pickers, oil on Canvas, 1936.

* Fruit Gatherer, oil on board, 1950. A specimen of Amorsolo's conception of an ideal

Filipina beauty.

El Ciego (The Blind Man), oil on panel, 1929. This work commissioned by a naval
intelligence officer who helped in the liberation of Manila during World War II.

A Basket of Mangoes, oil on canvas, 1949 by Fernando Amorsolo.

The making of the Philippine Flag

Tinikling in barrio, 1951, Oil on canvas.

Landscape, oil on canvas, 1951 by Amorsolo

Portrait of an old lady, Oil on canvas laid down on board, 1941.

Fernando Amorsolo self portrait

Days End, Washing the Carabao, 1928, oil on Board. At the end of the work day, the
farmers take the carabao to the water for washing and feeding.

Lavandera, oil on Board, 1928.

Old Spanish church, oil on canvas, 1957.