Rizal, the artist, revealed in new book

MANILA, Philippines — A valuable and unique addition to the nation’s Rizaliana Library will be launched soon.

Unlike the others, this book about the country’s national hero is not only a historical account but also a substantial artistic revelation about Rizal.

The book, “Jose Rizal, Sculptor,” written by Celestino Palma III and edited by Jose Ma. Cariño, is a story of Rizal’s life through the prism of his 56 sculptural works.

It is an unprecedented history, research and art book in one.

“Jose Rizal, Sculptor” begins with a study of Rizal’s objective persona that defined his art philosophy and style.

The next three chapters present the sculptures/reliefs he created during the three stages of his life, namely: 1) when he was a boy and a student in Calamba and Manila;

2) when he lived in Europe and Hong Kong; and 3) when he was in exile in Dapitan and later in prison.

Confirming his real passion, these chapters point out the consistent and unifying activity of Rizal throughout his life which, unknown to many, was sculpting.

The author (Ateneo College 1978), a century apart-co-alumnus of Rizal (Ateneo Municipal 1877), seamlessly interwove the relevant places, people, times, situations, thoughts and feelings in Rizal’s short life when he modeled or carved his sculptures and reliefs.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., in his foreword, said: “The last chapter, in a breathtaking and captivating flourish, details the account of searching, finding and preserving Rizal’s unfinished wood-carved self-portrait made when he was just 18 years old – a genuine national treasure.”

When asked how a finance and businessman like himself came to write this book about Rizal, Palma explained: “My interest in Rizal as a sculptor started when I saw and bought in an antique shop in Santa Barbara, California a set of two wooden reliefs that turned out to be the work of Jose Caancan of Paete, a student of Rizal in Dapitan. This treasure brought me to Paete where I saw in his house a photo of the old Caancan clutching the self-portrait of Rizal. Subsequently, in the Rizal books and articles I would get hold of, I would find snippets of his sculptural works.”

Hopefully, this Rizaliana contribution will inspire more people to discover, recover, document and preserve artifacts that form part of our national heritage.