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Souvenir from 1953 Philippine
International Fair. Silhouette by R Marcelino |
The name "silhouette" was derived from an
unpopular character named Etienne de Silhouette, the controller general of
France in 1757 and a regular shadow cutter himself. Since then, the term was
applied to anything cheap or makeshift, though the art of shadow cutting had
preceded this character by hundreds of years on the European continent.
Producing silhouettes has been an inexpensive means of
obtaining a portrait since the materials required are readily available. Miniature
profiles are cut out of black paper and mounted on white backgrounds, or cut
from white paper and the hollow mounted on dark cloth or black paper.
The coming of the Americans at the turn of the 20th century
in the country began the commercial fad and promotion of the silhouette.
Despite the initial fascination of Filipino consumer-s, there were very few
local artists who took the cudgels of specializing in this type of folk art.
Some examples of the product as shown below were produced by R. Marcelino at
the Manila Carnival grounds from the 1920s until the 1953 International Fair.
And another artist named Bernardo practiced his trade at a certain place called
Bamboo Grove.
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| Silhouette souvenir from the 1953 Philippine International Fair. Silhouette by R Marcelino |
The craft of paper cutting is not confined to the
Philippines. It is universal and as old as the invention of paper. In China, it
is called JIANZHI. In India, it is SANJHI; and called BATIK in Indonesia. In
Japan, it is combined with paper folding called MONKIRI. The Jewish names are MIZRACHS and KETUBOT.
In Mexico it is PICADO. And in Germany it is SCHERENSHNITIE. In the
Philippines, we call it PABALAT AT PALAMUTI, while combined with lantern or
parol making. -
By
Alex Villaflor, the Silhouettes are from his collection
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| Silhouette artist Bernardo practiced his trade at a certain place called
Bamboo Grove |
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| Silhouette by R. Marcelino |
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| Silhouette Souvenir from the Manila Carnival & Exposition. Circa 1930s |
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| Silhouette Souvenir from the Manila Carnival & Exposition. Circa 1930s |
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| Silhouette by R. Marcelino |
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| Silhouette by R. Marcelino |
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| Silhouette Souvenir from the 1930 Manila Carnival. |
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A remembrance of the christening of Milagros daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Pedro Vera Manila Hotel, February 8, 1941. Silhouette by R. Marcelino |
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A remembrance of the christening of Milagros daughter of
Mr. and
Mrs. Pedro Vera Manila Hotel, February 8, 1941. Silhouette by
R. Marcelino |
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A remembrance of the christening of Milagros daughter of
Mr. and
Mrs. Pedro Vera Manila Hotel, February 8, 1941. Silhouette by
R. Marcelino |
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