El Oriente
The Stunning Beauty of Cultural Journalism In the Philippines During the 19th Century
El Oriente, Third Year, 33 Issues From January 1 To September 23, 1877 (Complete For That Year)
La Ilustración Del Oriente 13 issues (complete for the year 1877), from October 1 to December 30, 1877. The publication continued until April 7, 1878.
All the pages are in very good condition, with portraits of illustrious figures on all the covers, numerous engravings of the people of the Philippines and illustrations of Philippine buildings and landscapes; there are also some maps
Opening bid: Php 200,000
WRITE UP
Cultural magazines almost always had a hard time getting off the ground during the 19th century. The first attempt was Ilustración Filipina (March 1859-December 1860), directed by Ricardo Puga, where, among instructive articles on science, volcanology, medicine, commerce, history and literary texts, lithographs by Baltasar Giraudier and C. W. Andrews were printed for the first time with artistry . Despite being a laudable and pioneering attempt to educate, instruct and entertain the nascent Spanish-speaking middle classes, the publication failed due to a lack of subscribers.
A second attempt was Revista de Filipinas (July 1875-September 1877), directed by one of the most important cultural agents in the second half of the 19th century: the Galician journalist José Felipe del Pan (1821-1891). Although it lacked engravings and prints, from the point of view of content it was very notable for the abundant information it provided on the geography, ethnography, statistics and botany, among other topics, of the Philippines.
Competing with the latter, El Oriente appeared on October 3, 1875, subtitled “Illustrated Weekly Magazine of Science, Literature, Arts, Industry, Commerce, News, etc.” It was edited by the ingenious Spanish novelist Antonio Vázquez de Aldana. In its inaugural issue it stated: “to follow the flight of modern advances in science, arts and literature is our purpose, evoking at the same time the glorious traditions of our ancestors and worshipping faith and morality.” Some of the most illustrious writers from the Spanish colonies in the Philippines, such as Francisco de Paula Entrala, the Govantes brothers, and Fonseca, Gaínza and Martínez Vigil, all of them Dominican friars, published in this magazine. As a novelty, to maintain subscriber loyalty, it organized contests in which it gave away up to eight gifts per month.
Each issue was twelve pages long and contained articles about the history of the Philippines and the buildings of Manila, poems, contemporary news about the Philippines and Europe, information about religious cults, biographical studies of illustrious figures, articles about education and the cultivation of moral values, treatises on agriculture and trade in the Philippines, advances in science, developments in the legislation of the archipelago, serial novels, etc.
Although a notable anthology could be made today of its interesting content, what stands out most about this publication for its beauty and for offering a privileged window into the reality of the Philippines in the last third of the 19th century are the engravings, all of them made through the technique of lithography. Thus, we find impressive illustrations of the Spanish Theater of Manila, the old bridge of Jaro, the modern iron bridge in Ilo-ilo, landscapes of Sampaloc, or Antipolo (with its rich forest and its picturesque and traditional nipa houses), the Royal House of Ilo-ilo, the Plaza de Tabaco in Albay, the village market of Daraga, a small stone bridge in Majayjay, the interior of the disappeared Santo Domingo Church in Intramuros, Mamante Street in Tondo, Balayan Beach, and many other places of interest. It is more than possible that the illustrators, whose names we only know - Abellana, Javier, B. Santos - were Filipinos. These illustrations were also accompanied by articles explaining the history and current situation of the place portrayed. It is unnecessary to insist on the value of these unique images of the Philippines' past.
Likewise, at the front of each issue was a portrait of a living illustrious person: the Augustinian botanist Fr. Antonio Llanos, the minister Miguel Silvela, Rutherford Hayes (US president), Claudio Montero (Governor of Mindanao), Alexander II (Tsar of Russia), etc. Inside there are also illustrations of Filipinos, both from the city and from the provinces.
El Oriente was transferred to the excellent German lithographer Jorge Oppel and the lawyer Pedro de Govantes, and was reissued under the name of La Ilustración del Oriente. The structure of this new publication is at first glance similar to that of its predecessor, but it contains certain details that make it a superior publication of greater interest. The content is much more Philippine-oriented, with more articles dealing with local topics such as festivals, Philippine customs and geography. The highly refined engravings are the work of Oppel and C. W. Andrews, among other artists, and depict Filipino people (the seamstress, the minor governor, a prisoner in Zamboanga, etc.), landscapes and places - the Mayon volcano, the village of Dinalupijan in Bataan, Sulu, a procession of Our Lady of the Pillar in Santa Cruz (Manila), Marikina, the military fort in Balabac (Palawan), and many other places of interest. It also includes three maps of Jolo, a plan of the pier and railroad for the port of Manila, and some plans of buildings in Manila.
In short, the volume contains a year of the most exciting cultural journalism in the Philippines. Both because of its importance to the history of culture in the Philippines and for its impressive engravings, it is an exceptional and unique collection of Philippine newspapers — and in very good condition.
Lot 44 of the Leon Gallery and The Asian Cultural Council Auction 2025 on Saturday, February 22, 2025 at the
G/F Eurovilla 1, Rufino corner Legazpi Street, Legazpi Village, Makati City, Philippines. Please see leon-gallery.com and leonexchange.com for more information and to place an online bid.
El Oriente
The Stunning Beauty of Cultural Journalism In the Philippines During the 19th Century
El Oriente, Third Year, 33 Issues From January 1 To September 23, 1877 (Complete For That Year)
La Ilustración Del Oriente 13 issues (complete for the year 1877), from October 1 to December 30, 1877. The publication continued until April 7, 1878.
All the pages are in very good condition, with portraits of illustrious figures on all the covers, numerous engravings of the people of the Philippines and illustrations of Philippine buildings and landscapes; there are also some maps
Opening bid: Php 200,000
WRITE UP
Cultural magazines almost always had a hard time getting off the ground during the 19th century. The first attempt was Ilustración Filipina (March 1859-December 1860), directed by Ricardo Puga, where, among instructive articles on science, volcanology, medicine, commerce, history and literary texts, lithographs by Baltasar Giraudier and C. W. Andrews were printed for the first time with artistry . Despite being a laudable and pioneering attempt to educate, instruct and entertain the nascent Spanish-speaking middle classes, the publication failed due to a lack of subscribers.
A second attempt was Revista de Filipinas (July 1875-September 1877), directed by one of the most important cultural agents in the second half of the 19th century: the Galician journalist José Felipe del Pan (1821-1891). Although it lacked engravings and prints, from the point of view of content it was very notable for the abundant information it provided on the geography, ethnography, statistics and botany, among other topics, of the Philippines.
Competing with the latter, El Oriente appeared on October 3, 1875, subtitled “Illustrated Weekly Magazine of Science, Literature, Arts, Industry, Commerce, News, etc.” It was edited by the ingenious Spanish novelist Antonio Vázquez de Aldana. In its inaugural issue it stated: “to follow the flight of modern advances in science, arts and literature is our purpose, evoking at the same time the glorious traditions of our ancestors and worshipping faith and morality.” Some of the most illustrious writers from the Spanish colonies in the Philippines, such as Francisco de Paula Entrala, the Govantes brothers, and Fonseca, Gaínza and Martínez Vigil, all of them Dominican friars, published in this magazine. As a novelty, to maintain subscriber loyalty, it organized contests in which it gave away up to eight gifts per month.
Each issue was twelve pages long and contained articles about the history of the Philippines and the buildings of Manila, poems, contemporary news about the Philippines and Europe, information about religious cults, biographical studies of illustrious figures, articles about education and the cultivation of moral values, treatises on agriculture and trade in the Philippines, advances in science, developments in the legislation of the archipelago, serial novels, etc.
Although a notable anthology could be made today of its interesting content, what stands out most about this publication for its beauty and for offering a privileged window into the reality of the Philippines in the last third of the 19th century are the engravings, all of them made through the technique of lithography. Thus, we find impressive illustrations of the Spanish Theater of Manila, the old bridge of Jaro, the modern iron bridge in Ilo-ilo, landscapes of Sampaloc, or Antipolo (with its rich forest and its picturesque and traditional nipa houses), the Royal House of Ilo-ilo, the Plaza de Tabaco in Albay, the village market of Daraga, a small stone bridge in Majayjay, the interior of the disappeared Santo Domingo Church in Intramuros, Mamante Street in Tondo, Balayan Beach, and many other places of interest. It is more than possible that the illustrators, whose names we only know - Abellana, Javier, B. Santos - were Filipinos. These illustrations were also accompanied by articles explaining the history and current situation of the place portrayed. It is unnecessary to insist on the value of these unique images of the Philippines' past.
Likewise, at the front of each issue was a portrait of a living illustrious person: the Augustinian botanist Fr. Antonio Llanos, the minister Miguel Silvela, Rutherford Hayes (US president), Claudio Montero (Governor of Mindanao), Alexander II (Tsar of Russia), etc. Inside there are also illustrations of Filipinos, both from the city and from the provinces.
El Oriente was transferred to the excellent German lithographer Jorge Oppel and the lawyer Pedro de Govantes, and was reissued under the name of La Ilustración del Oriente. The structure of this new publication is at first glance similar to that of its predecessor, but it contains certain details that make it a superior publication of greater interest. The content is much more Philippine-oriented, with more articles dealing with local topics such as festivals, Philippine customs and geography. The highly refined engravings are the work of Oppel and C. W. Andrews, among other artists, and depict Filipino people (the seamstress, the minor governor, a prisoner in Zamboanga, etc.), landscapes and places - the Mayon volcano, the village of Dinalupijan in Bataan, Sulu, a procession of Our Lady of the Pillar in Santa Cruz (Manila), Marikina, the military fort in Balabac (Palawan), and many other places of interest. It also includes three maps of Jolo, a plan of the pier and railroad for the port of Manila, and some plans of buildings in Manila.
In short, the volume contains a year of the most exciting cultural journalism in the Philippines. Both because of its importance to the history of culture in the Philippines and for its impressive engravings, it is an exceptional and unique collection of Philippine newspapers — and in very good condition.
Lot 44 of the Leon Gallery and The Asian Cultural Council Auction 2025 on Saturday, February 22, 2025 at the
G/F Eurovilla 1, Rufino corner Legazpi Street, Legazpi Village, Makati City, Philippines. Please see leon-gallery.com and leonexchange.com for more information and to place an online bid.