VICTORIO C.

EDADES
(December 23, 1895 – March 7, 1985)

 was born in Dagupan, Pangasinan.

 Emerged as the “Father of Modern Philippine Painting” and was named as National Artist in
1976.
 Edades traveled to the United States and enrolled at the University of Washington in Seattle,
taking up architecture and later earned a Master of Fine Arts in Painting.
 Painting distorted human figures in rough, bold impasto strokes, and standing tall and singular
in his advocacy and practice of what he believes is
the creative art
 Edades’ colors were dark and somber with subject
matter or themes depicting laborers, factory workers
or the simple folk in all their dirt, sweat and grime.
 Modernist thought encouraged him to experiment in
artistic expression and to present reality as he saw
it in his own way.
 Modernism opened the way to new artistic idioms,
as well as enlarged the subject of art to span the
entire range of human experience.
 Edades not only introduced modernism into the
Philippines but also gave it his guidance and related
it to the issue of national identity. He envisioned an The Sketch, 1928
art in, which the artist was to pursue an individual
vision, while also discovering his identity as a Filipino.
 In the 1930s, Edades taught at the University of Santos Tomas and became dean of its
Department of Architecture where he stayed for three full decades.
 It was during this time that he introduced a liberal arts program that offers subjects as art
history and foreign languages that will lead to a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. This
development brought about a first in Philippine education since art schools then were
vocational schools.
 It was also the time that Edades invited Carlos “Botong” Francisco and Galo B. Ocampo to
become professor artists for the university. The three, who would later be
known as the formidable “Triumvirate”, led the growth of mural painting in
the country.
 Finally retiring from teaching at age 70, the university conferred on
Edades the degree of Doctor of Fine Arts, honoris causa, for being an
outstanding “visionary, teacher and artist.”
 He died on March 7, 1985 at the age of 89. He was married to Jean
Garrott, an American who taught English and drama at the University of the
Philippines.

Victorio Edades self portrait

His other achievements included:

 Pro Patria Award during the Rizal Centennial Celebration in 1961;

 Araw ng Maynila Award in Painting in 1964;
 National Artist Award in Painting in 1976;
 Degree of Doctor of Fine Arts, honoris causa in UST, 1977.