LORENZO LEOGARDO GUERRERO

GUERRERO, LORENZO LEOGARDO b. Ermita, Manaila 4 Nov 1835 d. 8 Apr 1904. Painter. His parents

were Leon Jorge Guerrero Clara Leogardo. He married Clemencia Ramirez, one of his artistically gifted

students, They had nine children, two of whom, Fernando Ma. Guerrero and Manuel Guerrero were writers.

Belonging to a well known ilustrado family of writers, artists, and scientists, he had early exposure to the arts.

He studied at the Academia de Dibujo y Pintura under the Spanish art teachers Cortina and Valdes, and later

Saez, In 1858 he became assistant at the Academia located on Cabildo st, Intramuros, ca 1858. Aside from

teaching painting in the homes of prominent Manila families, he also gave lessons in drawing at the Colegio de

Santa Isabel, La Concordia, and Instituto de Mujeres. Among his pupils were Juan Arellano and Juan Luna

whom he advised to pursue studies abroad as the Academia had nothing more to teach them.

As an art teacher, Guerrero's influence was considerable. His house was the scene of many tertulias which

welcomed such scholarly and artistic personalities as Fabian de la Rosa, Vicente Rivera y Mir, and Toribio

Antillon. Epifanio de Los Santos Cristobal described him as "a most appreciative critic of the literary and

musical arts." Aside from painting, he also wrote verses and Lyrics for songs.

Working in the transition period from the religious to the secular, he did paintings on religious subjects, as

well as landscapes and genre. Among his religious works are Santa Filomena, (St Filomena), San Juan

Bautista (St John the Baptist) and Nuestra Senora de Guia (Our Lady of Guidance) for the Ermita Church.

Other religious paintings are Dolorosa (Soulful Mother), Santa Veronica de Julianus (St Veronica of Julianus),

San Felix de Cantalicio (St Felix of Cantalicio), and La transverberacion, de Santa Teresa de Jesus (The

Transfixion of St Therese of Jesus) which won the gold medal in the tercentenary celebration of Santa Teresa

de Jesus in 1882.

His secular works include those depicting the elements and known today as: The Fire, The Flood, The Storm;

those showing local scenes like Taking Water, Cockfighting, Chinese Vendor Of Tsin tsao, Rivers Ben, and

Scene at a Brook (the last three were exhibited at the St Louis Exposition of 1904); and the landscapes, like

Landscape, Chorillo de Mariquina (Water well in Marikina), and Mariquina Landscape. Of his genre, vistiendo

la novia (Dressing the Bride) is considered most outstanding