The title of the painting is “The Black Nazarene of Quiapo” by Ricarte M.

Puruganan

(1937) and it is made out of oil on canvas. The painting is located in the Natural Art Museum Fine

Art Gallery. It is a 2D art, this artwork showed different elements of art and its principles such as

lines, colors, space, light and value, balance, unity, etc. that would be discussed further. The

message in these painting is that people always unite when a celebration is ongoing and Filipinos

always pray together and unite as one while doing the procession of the Black Nazarene. The

purpose of the artist is to show the passion and strong faith of Filipinos to the Black Nazarene.

They would do anything to be able to touch it, to the point that there are other people getting hurt.

Even though everything was chaotic, they still had the spirit to go on. Held miraculous by many

Catholics, the Black Nazarene is the focus of the annual fiesta on January 9 when Quiapo is

flooded with devotees. A 1937 painting at the National Museum captures a scene of the Nazarene

carried by devotees and women still wearing veils to church.

Having the elements of art and principle of art is very essential. Puruganan used several of

it to create these masterpieces. An art would not be created and build without these elements and

principles, in this section it will be discussed each on how it is being used In the painting.

The elements of art presented were, using the element of line, in the painting showed that

different lines is used, he use straight lines to emphasize the architecture of the church, the

furniture, the cross being held by the Nazarene, he also use line to created shadows to see the

realness of the painting. He use flowing lines for the texture of the clothes as if it was flowing or

moving, thus he also use the lines to emphasize the bodies showing muscles for it to be more

realistic. Organic shapes make people in the painting because it is free-formed and is curved.

There is some of the geometric shape used such as in the windows of the Church. Colors are also

highlighted on the painting making the Value present, on the upper part of the painting light colors
were used and it is like there is light emitting on the upper part rather than on the lower part. It

seems like the light is coming from the windows reflecting to the upper parts. The Intensity of the

picture is bright because of the lightness of the colors were used. All colors used were warm and

light tones, primary and secondary colors were used. Puruganan also used space, there is a lot of

positive space going on the painting, it is crowded by people knowing that it is a feast of Black

Nazarene, also little negative space is used to see the floor. The lower part or the front part,

people were big and on the middle part of the painting, people were smaller as if they are far from

the front parts of the painting. When it comes to pattern and texture, by the use of flowing lines the

cloth on the right side it seems like it is soft, the pattern also is when the painting formed in a

slanted ways from left to right.

On the other hand, there are also principles of design is showed in the painting, the

emphasis of the painting should be is the Black Nazarene, since it really is in a red clothing that

emphasized as the subject although it is afar in the picture, despite of it being at the back. Also

being lifted by the people, it is isolated in in the upper part. Puruganan also use movement

horizontally form left to right, they were all slanted as shown in the painting and it draws the

attention of the audience as if they were moving along with the crowd. The painting is also

proportionate, the person in brown assuming it is the priest holding a flag is bigger than the

subject. The lower part of the painting is bigger and became smaller on the middle part to upper

part. The objects were related to each other because it is a crowd having a lot of people and

thinking it is a feast being held inside the church. The architecture is obvious because of the

windows and the large walls surrounded, the ropes, the statue of a saint behind, that they are

inside the church.

The definition of art appreciation according to ArtyFactory.com is that art appreciation is

the knowledge and understanding of the universal and timeless qualities that identify all great art.
The more you appreciate and understand the art of different eras, movements, styles and

techniques, the better you can develop, evaluate and improve your own artwork.

The said elements and principles of art presented in the Black Nazarene painting is related

with each other, every element has its own distinct features but when all are put together, it now

creates a masterpiece. For example, a shape would not be created without the use of lines and

shadows for emphasis, the realness of the painting would not be completed if there is no used

movement and texture, you will not be able to determine what is going on in the painting if it is not

all used and shown by the Puruganan. The different use of color, value, intensity in the painting

completes the overall look of the masterpiece, it gives life to the painting because without it you

will not be able to recognize the Black Nazarene, the priest, the women with veils also that they

are inside the church.

Arty Factory (n.d.)

Retrieve from: http://www.artyfactory.com

Stephenson, B. (2016). Narratives and Renamed Street.

Retrieved from: https://www.triplisher.com