ABOUT THE WORK

The Philippines has been known to produce pearls of the highest quality. Our national hero has referred to our country as the "Pearl of the Orient." The pearl originates from its mother hence the home of the pearl is called the "mother of pearl." Since the pre-colonial era to the colonial era, the mother of pearl has been used for adornments, gifts, and for various usages. In the 19th Century, during the rise of the ilustrado class, local artists began using the mother of pearl as the medium for their art. It became a commodity for the tourist market hence the finest of them all are found overseas from the Americas to Europe. Works by Luna, Hidalgo, Felix Martinez, and other important Filipino artists on shells are extant. These particular shells with paintings are by Alejandro Canoy during the Spanish Colonial era. The work of this particular artist is represented in a naval painting of the Philippines at the Museo Naval in Madrid.