Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo's place in Philippine Art was secured in the last quarter of the nineteenth century through his large Neoclassical canvases which harvested Gold and Silver Medals in prestigious International Exhibitions. At a time when merely to have one's painting accepted and hung in the highly competitive International Exhibits was a mark of having arrived as a painter, Hidalgo's entries stood out among thousands of paintings (representing in these Exhibits the best Europe and America had to offer) to win distinction: a Gold Medal for his major work, La Barca de Aqueronte and Silver Medals for two others (Jovenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho and Adios del Sol). It is therefore through these two historical paintings "in the grand manner" (a seascape with figure, Adios del Sol is a departure from the traditional manner) that Hidalgo's reputation as a painter is assured in both Philippine Art history and the popular mind.*

*Hidalgo and The Generation of 1872 by Alfredo Roces

Lopez Memorial Museum » Art Galleries: Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo