Provenance:
Acquired directly from the artist

ABOUT THE WORK

The Battle of Alapan was the first military victory of General Emilio Aguinaldo and his troops on May 28, 1898, after his return to the Philippines from his exile in Hong Kong. While in exile, Aguinaldo made preparations for the continuation of the Philippine Revolution. Upon returning to his country, Aguinaldo reconstituted the Philippine Revolutionary Army and engaged in one of the fiercest battles for independence, facing a garrison of more than 270 Spanish troops under the command of General Leopoldo García Peña in Alapan in present-day Imus, Cavite. Armed with bamboo cannons and Mauser rifles, the Filipino forces emerged victorious from the battle, despite heavy resistance from the Spanish troops who ran out of ammunition in battle and eventually surrendered. The battle lasted for five hours, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. After the battle, Aguinaldo and the katipuneros marched to Cavite, bringing with them 300 Spanish captives, including General García Peña. Aguinaldo then unfurled what was to become the national flag of the First Philippine Republic. Hugo Yonzon Jr. is remembered as one of the most prolific modernists of the postwar era. Yonzon would often join both realist modernist competitions held by the Art Association of the Philippines, winning prizes for both. Yonzon’s subjects would also often revolve around a variety of local themes. As he shifted back and forth between different approaches, what remains constant is his subject matter, from the everyday people to those parts of Philippine myths and history. Yonzon, Jr. also depicted significant historical events and scenes in the country. This particular piece features one of the country’s most celebrated heroes, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, and the katipuneros at the Battle of Alapan. Yonzon, Jr.’s dynamic figures give the piece a sense of depth that effectively engages with the viewer, with the work’s unique color palette visually echoing the emblem of Yonzon’s distinctly Filipino sensibilities.