Ambeth R. Ocampo's Blog, page 204

Fernando Amorsolo made a living as an illustrator for magazines and advertising...

Fernando Amorsolo made a living as an illustrator for magazines and advertising companies. His most famous work happens to be the "Ginebra San Miguel" label. This sexually suggestive prewar ad for Ivory soap is but one of his many creations. I'm a bit confused though is Amorsolo saying that we can also use soap on our hair?

There was a time when all schoolchildren had the same textbooks called the Phili...

There was a time when all schoolchildren had the same textbooks called the Philippine Readers. These carried wonderful illustrations of everyday life in the "pistaym" Philippines by Fernando Amorsolo.

My Inquirer column today on how Mayon volcano killed 12,000 people in 1814.http...

My Inquirer column today on how Mayon volcano killed 12,000 people in 1814.
http://opinion.inquirer.net/52185/the-mayon-eruption-of-1814


The Mayon eruption of 1814
opinion.inquirer.net
Mayon Volcano is a major tourist spot not only for Bicol but also for the whole Philippines. This leads some of our countrymen to brag that Mayon has a better shape than Japan’s Mount Fuji, which is truly more photogenic, especially when snow covers its tip, creating a picture that launched a millio...

This is my favorite image from the 16th century "Boxer Codex." It is not well kn...

This is my favorite image from the 16th century "Boxer Codex." It is not well known but caught my attention when I handled the original in the home of C. R. Boxer in the early 1990's. This pull-out depicts people in a Spanish galleon trading, by barter, with people in bahag riding bancas with katig. One man on the left jumps into the water to retrieve something, perhaps a Spanish silver coin we know as "Dos Mundos."

Antonio Pigafetta, chronicler of the 1521 Magellan expedition, made reference to...

Antonio Pigafetta, chronicler of the 1521 Magellan expedition, made reference to penis implements used in the Philippines. He claimed that the women would not "communicate" with the men unless they wore penis implements that were described in words not in pictures. The puzzle was solved much later because in the margin of the 16th century "Boxer Codex" we find another reference to the penis implements that comes with an illustration on the margin. I wonder how this works? Presently on display in the Musee du Quai Branly in Paris the Boxer Codex was loaned from the Lilly Library of the University of Indiana at Bloomington, a digital copy is available in the Ayala Museum gold collection.

This QC shop reminded me that Sundays are for God and shoes.

This QC shop reminded me that Sundays are for God and shoes.


Smile

Detail of one of four watercolors by the 19th century Filipino artist Jose Honor...

Detail of one of four watercolors by the 19th century Filipino artist Jose Honorato Lozano recently sold at auction in London. These are "tipos del pais" that depict Filipinos long before the invention of the digital camera. I hope these were bought by a Filipino collector and will be returned to the country from the English country manor where it was preserved for over a century.

Emperor of the Philippines for a dayopinion.inquirer.netS...

Emperor of the Philippines for a day
opinion.inquirer.net
Somebody asked me yesterday (Thursday) if I have written anything on dynasties. Of course, he was referring to local political dynasties and their kind running in the coming elections, but I associate dynasties with the ancient Chinese ceramics of: Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming or Ching.

My Inquirer column today.http://opinion.inquirer.net/51855/emp......

My Inquirer column today.
http://opinion.inquirer.net/51855/emperor-of-the-philippines-for-a-day


Emperor of the Philippines for a day
opinion.inquirer.net
Somebody asked me yesterday (Thursday) if I have written anything on dynasties. Of course, he was referring to local political dynasties and their kind running in the coming elections, but I associate dynasties with the ancient Chinese ceramics of: Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming or Ching.

My Inquirer column today.http://opinion.inquirer.net/51753/the......

My Inquirer column today.
http://opinion.inquirer.net/51753/the-american-historical-collection


The American Historical Collection
opinion.inquirer.net
Summer is still upon us, temperatures still sizzle, and while most students should be enjoying their “long” vacation, some are busy with all sorts of workshops that their parents decided to spoil the break with. Some students are taking up foreign languages or art lessons, or attending sports clinic...