National Artist for Painting (1973)
(November 4, 1912 – March 31, 1969)
Carlos “Botong” Francisco, one of the advocates of modernism in Philippine art, is part of the Thirteen Moderns and the Triumvirate (with Victorio Edades and Galo Ocampo). He promoted and encouraged the widespread creation of murals, a medium he was an expert at. Being a muralist meant he had to collaborate with a lot of artists (he mentored a good number of them in his lifetime) and had to possess a certain level of patience (since making murals take a lot of time). His works reflect his mastery of depth and perception: he had to foreshorten his figures in order to give the viewer the best angle to see his works. As an artist, he was interested in the customs and folklore of the Philippines. All of this knowledge was merged perfectly with his works, making history alive in his paintings.