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This ivory head of an archangel (Michael, Gabriel, Raphael) was once attached to a polychromed body with wings and venerated in a church altar. It is the countenance of a young man. The gaze is upwards, like all images of archangels and angels (with the occasional exception of San Miguel Arcangel, who slays Satan with a downward stare). The facial features are predictably Oriental as bestowed by the Chinese– Filipino or Chinese craftsman: thin eyebrows, almond eyes, straight elegant nose (not European aquiline), rosebud mouth, prominent chin (for good luck), and thick–lobed ears (Buddha ears, for good luck as well). The articulated “binihon” hair has the trademark forelocks from the seventeenth century and the peculiar side curls from the late eighteenth century. The thin profile is consistent with the style of its time, along with the minor back portion of carved and painted “baticuling” wood. There is a small tonsure at the top of the head but it looks like an end portion of the ivory rather than a deliberate part of the iconography. The whole ensemble is of exquisite “Sangley” or Chinese–Filipino production from two hundred years ago. Its specific and peculiar features are similar to a few late eighteenth century–early nineteenth century examples at the San Agustin Convent museum and in the Paulino and Hetty Que collection. The best way to visualize this ivory head of an archangel as it originally looked on a proper body is to observe the eighteenth century life–sized, carved and polychromed archangel images of San Gabriel Arcangel and San Rafael Arcangel, and even that of San Miguel Arcangel, at the main altar of the Argao church in Cebu. There are also two eighteenth century life–sized archangel figures (which have lost their original polychromy) in a private collection which originally came from the main altar of the 1700s Manaoag church in Pangasinan (the famous shrine of “Nuestra Senora del Rosario de Manaoag”/Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag); like the ones in Argao, except for the polychromy, they have the forelocks, articulated “binihon” hair, cinched waists, wide angel sleeves, arms stretched forward (to hold their attributes), robes raised with buttons at the mid–calves to show their legs and boots, and large, spiky wings. That is how this ivory head looked with a body originally. According to Christian scripture and tradition, there are seven archangels: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Sealtiel, Uriel, Barrachiel, and Judiel. However, since only three archangels are actually named in the Bible, only they are recognized by name in Roman Catholic doctrine: Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. The other four archangels appear in Jewish and other Christian sources outside the Bible: Sealtiel, Uriel, Barrachiel, and Judiel. “San Miguel Arcangel y los Arcangeles”/Saint Michael the Archangel and the Archangels are the patron saints of many Philippine parishes/towns: San Miguel de Tanduay, Manila; San Miguel de Mayumo, Bulacan; Masantol, Pampanga; Orion, Bataan; Santa Cruz, Zambales; Camiling, Tarlac; Tarlac, Tarlac; Bacnotan, La Union; Currimao, Ilocos Norte; Bacoor, Cavite; Indang, Cavite (alongside San Gregorio Magno); Calaca, Batangas (San Rafael Arcangel); Tayabas, Quezon; Pili, Camarines Sur (San Rafael Arcangel); Oas, Albay; Irosin, Sorsogon; Argao, Cebu; Iligan, Lanao del Norte; et al. Many of the “Sangleyes” (the Chinese) who came to trade and oftentimes settle in the islands were excellent, skillful craftsmen --- goldsmiths, silversmiths, sculptors, painters --- in ways the “indios” had no real experience in and that was a known fact from the early days of the Spanish conquest in the 1570s. Throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the colonizers instituted periodic massacres and punishments targeted specifically at the disenfranchised but extremely talented “Sangley” ethnic minority to prevent them from gaining control over anything in the colony. Constant racial discrimination aside, the Spanish friars made good and extensive use of the “Sangleyes’ ” professional skills in the construction of massive churches and convents and furnishing them suitably all over the islands. Masterpieces in gold, silver, ivory, and wood comparable to the best European work emerged from the “Sangley” workshops in the “Parian” ghetto. The Spanish appreciated and took advantage of the fact that the “Sangleyes” were experts at difficult, precise, and detailed work but did not charge customers commensurate fees for the hard labor expended. To the colonialists, the consistently high quality of the goldwork, silverwork, ivory sculpture, and exquisite wooden furniture (the spectacular, tortoiseshell–veneered and nacre–inlaid “mueble enconchado” exhibited in Lima, Peru and elsewhere in South America) made them highly exportable to Spain, Mexico, and the Latin American colonies. Although generally looking more Asian than European, Filipino religious ivory sculpture became prized acquisitions of the religious orders and rich citizens, and were proudly installed in Roman Catholic churches and homes across the Hispanic world. Antique local ivory religious sculpture are still prized in predominantly Catholic Philippines because the values associated with them --- for better or for worse --- are deeply embedded and entrenched in the national culture and psyche. The rich Chinese mestizos of Vigan, Ilocos Sur during the Spanish colonial period had the curious socio– religious convention of considering it bad form and bad taste to exhibit one’s riches in terms of jewelry, dress, and interior décor. However, piling on gold and precious gems on one’s “marfiles” ivory processional image(s) and one’s array of smaller ivory images in “virinas”/glass cloches in the “capilla” or family chapel was the height of admirable social behavior and was sure to get the approbation of fellow rich and pious grandes dames and their husbands. Until the end of the twentieth century, the opulent home altars of the landed Florentinos and the enterprising Donatos (untouched for one hundred and fifty years), both leading families of Old Vigan, bore tangible witness to those quaint traditions. There were a few amusing stories of late 1800s rich and pampered “Donas” from rice and sugar–rich Pampanga and Batangas who complained that they could not pray properly if the venerated icon in the altar was not of ivory; God forbid if it were dark (like the icons of Quiapo and Antipolo); such was the lingering Caucasian obsession. After World War II, heirloom “marfiles”/ivory images were still honored and cherished by their proud DBF “de buena familia” heirs as devotionals/sacramentals, but more significantly as mementos of old immense fortunes accumulated from rice, sugar, cotton, indigo, tobacco, abaca and other crops, high social position, preeminence, prominence, snobbery, and exclusive circles. These days, religious images of ivory are still prized by rich Filipino Roman Catholics, more as very expensive status symbols (like French and Italian branded clothing and leather) rather than devotionals/sacramentals, for the simple reason that even a small ivory statuette of the Virgin Mary with ivory head, hands, feet, and embroidered vestments can set one back by upwards of PHP 600,000.00 (USD 10,000.00). What more with life–sized solid ivory heads and hands? by AUGUSTO MARCELINO REYES GONZALEZ III