Provenance: Pampanga

ABOUT THE WORK

Tables made in the Parian during the early colonial period were inspired by square tables that were placed before the family altar to hold offerings of food and incense. They were usually of balayong with thick, massive legs, somewhat cabriole in form, at each corner resting on a pseudo-platform formed by stretchers resting on square feet. Their shoulders were inevitably carved with a kurtimukaa, a fierce, bat-like swallowing fierce monster face with huge fangs and gaping mouth, quite common in the iconography of Indian and Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, until the end of the 18th century. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word meaning ‘Glorious Face’, but in China it is known as T’ao T’ieh or Monster of Greed. The latter, due to its swallowing of time, was often depicted with a long tongue. By the 18th century, the dimensions of the legs began to get less massive and by the end of the century, some were positively delicate in construction. The monster-like masks, which made local collectors dub such tables as mesang demonyo, also disappeared and were replaced sometimes by floral or foliate designs at the shoulders. Such is this table made of Narra, probably the most delicately made that has ever come to the market. Its cabriole legs are so slender and made with many details that at first glance, one would think that it was a European piece of the Rococo Period. The slenderness of its legs and the scrolled moldings decorating them are similar to those of an episcopal chair found in Pampanga in the 60s and could even have been made by the same artisan. The piece stands on four square block feet resembling a short and stubby cabriole leg cut at the waist, with the front and sides of the shoulder showing vestiges of foliate scrolls carved on it. The feet support a platform consisting of stretchers running along the sides, their visible edges carved with molding. At the corners of the platform are four small square blocks with tapering convex sides supporting slim cabriole legs carved with an S-scroll running down the middle to form a C-scroll halfway down by reversing itself towards the back in a foliate manner. It then continues downward to reverse itself towards the front to form an acanthus leaf. At the shoulders of the legs is carved an oval cabochon surrounded by C-scrolls with an acanthus leaf emanating from its bottom. Connecting the legs is a narrow multi-lobed apron consisting of S-shaped cusps and ogee curves alternating with a carved flower and foliate scrolls. The typical rococo foliate design emanating from each inner volute is a detail rarely found in tables and shows the attention to detail given by the artisan to the piece. The top of the table consists of a wide Narra panel framed by thick planks edged with a series of convex and concave cymatium moldni gs. A gadroon border is carved at the upper edge, but some parts have disappeared through centuries of use. -Martin I. Tinio, Jr.