{"id":11661,"date":"2019-05-28T11:24:30","date_gmt":"2019-05-28T03:24:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/?p=11661"},"modified":"2019-05-31T10:24:44","modified_gmt":"2019-05-31T02:24:44","slug":"museo-de-intramuros-exhibits-400-years-of-filipino-religious-craftsmanship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/primer.com.ph\/travel\/2019\/05\/28\/museo-de-intramuros-exhibits-400-years-of-filipino-religious-craftsmanship\/","title":{"rendered":"Museo de Intramuros Exhibits 400 Years of Filipino Religious Craftsmanship"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Intramuros Administration (IA)<\/strong> opened Museo de Intramuros<\/strong>\u00a0to the public, built\u00a0on the former site of San Ignacio Church of Intramuros, Manila. The Museo features the history of Catholic evangelization in the country.<\/p>\n

\"\"The building of\u00a0Museo de Intramuros is designed from the original\u00a0Casa Mision Convent of the San Ignacio Church.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

“There are two museums that were conceived by the Intramuros Administration: one is Museo de Intramuros, and the other one is the Museum of Casa Manila, where house parts and furniture are displayed,” Dino Carlo Santos, and IA curator tells us during our tour.<\/p>\n

Opened this May, the Museo de Intramuros is a museum for the Philippine art of religious pieces. The country\u00a0is the\u00a0only\u00a0Christian\u00a0nation in Asia since it was introduced in\u00a01565 by Spain.<\/p>\n

\"\"The wall colors are chosen to set the museum pieces apart, making them more prominent.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The Museo de Intramuros is built on top of the ruins of the Church of San Ignacio, a Jesuit church designed by a Filipino architect Felix Roxas in 1878.\u00a0The museum is constructed based on the architect’s original design atop the old Casa Mision Convent, which is part of the church.<\/p>\n

Also read: Club Intramuros Golf Course: A historic recreational site in Intramuros<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Ground Floor<\/h3>\n

Upon entering, the first room you’ll see is the\u00a0exhibit\u00a0of wooden carvings\u00a0of the Principal Patroness of the Philippines, the Immaculate Conception<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the saints of the first religious orders that came to the Philippines\u00a0are displayed at The Religious Orders<\/strong> room. This includes St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Ignatius of Loyola.<\/p>\n

\"\"The\u00a0country’s oldest\u00a0university, University of Santo Tomas’s patron saint is featured at the museum.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Also read: NCCA Gallery in Intramuros<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The exhibit titled Patronato Real<\/strong>\u00a0includes large scale paintings and carved wooden altarpieces. IA is planning to assemble an altar using the various pieces\u00a0they’ve acquired from various old churches in the country.<\/p>\n

For now, the pieces are\u00a0exhibited individually to show Philippine woodcarving design.<\/p>\n

\"\"Most\u00a0of the museum pieces are acquired by the Intramuros Administration while others are donated.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Second Floor<\/h3>\n

The Religious Colonial Paintings<\/strong> trace the history of Philippine religious colonial art. An art historical approach was used in curating the gallery showcasing the different regionalistic styles and techniques applied such as miniaturismo techniques developed during the Spanish colonial art period.<\/p>\n

\"\"The centuries-old paintings are featured here and grouped by region.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

With walls painted with light blue, the exhibit of Liturgical Items and Sacred Vessels<\/strong> shines through. Ornate chalices, thurible, monstrance, that are made from silver and gold are encased in a glass display. The Silver Collection takes note of the different types of craftsmanship when it comes to silversmithing.<\/p>\n

\"\"Silversmithing using engraving (left) and the repouss\u00e9 and chasing (right)\u00a0techniques are shown here side by side.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Lastly, the Indio Response<\/strong> is meant to tell the story of how early converts produced sculptures from the anito-looking Crucifixion wood carving to the more inspired, ornate urnas (a stand for a saint).<\/p>\n

“Here you will see the initial point of contact with the indigenous religion and the foreign religion, which is Christianity,”\u00a0Dino explains.<\/p>\n

Please\u00a0note that photography is prohibited on the 2nd floor.<\/p>\n

Third Floor<\/h3>\n

There is a separate floor dedicated to the history of Intramuros, also called the Walled City, featuring miniatures of the original church structures.<\/p>\n

Here we see\u00a0Lourdes Church<\/strong> (transferred to Sta. Mesa, Quezon City), San Ignacio Church<\/strong> (transferred to Ateneo de Manila University Campus, Quezon City), San Nicolas Church<\/strong> (transferred to San Sebastian Basilica, Quiapo), and Santo Domingo Church<\/strong> (transferred to Quezon Avenue, Quezon City).<\/p>\n

\"\"There\u00a0used to be seven churches inside\u00a0Intramuros.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The two surviving churches in Intramuros is the San Agustin Church and the Manila Cathedral, the latter having gone through several restorations to its current image. While behind the museum is the on-site restoration of the San Ignacio Church, still in construction.<\/p>\n

Also read: San Agustin Museum<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Towards the future<\/h3>\n

“Museo de Intramuros is a work in progress,” says Dino. “The Museo was opened to introduce the museum to the public but this is all temporary.” IA is still working on the permanent exhibit.<\/p>\n

Currently, the Museo shows only 30% of the collection the IA has curated and collected through the years. The items yet to be added to the exhibit are smaller items that require display cases.<\/p>\n

\"\"Right now, the\u00a0new museum also includes traditional Filipino furniture, usually a feature of their other museum, Casa Manila.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Rules and Regulations<\/h3>\n

Upon entering, guests will be asked to sign in the visitor’s log book.\u00a0Smoking, eating, drinking, and vandalism are prohibited. Umbrellas and big luggage are not allowed inside and should be left with the staff at the entrance.<\/p>\n

Photographs for souvenir and educational purposes are allowed. However, photography on the second floor, especially the paintings and prints, are strictly prohibited.<\/p>\n

Entrance to the museum is free until November 2019. The Intramuros Administration is expecting more Filipinos and foreigners to visit the Museo and support the final exhibit opening with their complete collection of Philippine ecclesiastical art in the future.<\/p>\n

Also read: Inside Intramuros: A Tour in Manila\u2019s Walled City<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

How to get here:<\/h4>\n

Museo de Intramuros is at the old site of the San Ignacio Church at the corner of Arzobispo and Anda Streets, Intramuros, Manila<\/p>\n

By car:<\/p>\n