ABOUT THE WORK

Iconic Filipino modernist Norma Belleza has put on display her refined folk sensibilities time and again. Belleza’s stylized figuration of the Filipina has come to be known as a potent display—a powerful depiction of the Filipina woman, forged of strength and will. In this work, we are treated to an allegorical composition— the woman at the center of the household caring for her child. The setting, cluttered with religious and socio-cultural iconography, is a microcosm of society, shedding light on the travails of the Filipina. “Something primitive characterizes the work of Norma Belleza, who happens to be Angelito Antonio’s wife. Her approach to genre painting appeals to certain collectors who go for the primitive: somewhat “crude,” texturally gritty, and highly colorful. She eschews an elegant smooth brush technique in favor of a staggered, texturally grainier one.” Norma Belleza’s figures have been characterized as uninhibited and less intellectualized. Her straightforward approach to painting is exceptionally striking in this art piece. Every detail is incorporated and planned according to a specific standard of composition and delineation. Belleza’s colors do not adhere to objective reality. Instead, she employs a high degree of elation—an abundance of polychromatic hues and tones—to produce a masterpiece that is as visually appealing as possible. Due to the unsophisticated and able-bodied physique of women in Belleza’s works, they have been described as “more rural” than those depicted by Magsaysay-Ho or Amorsolo.