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Filipinas to Philippines
The Philippines as we know it was nonexistent in the pre-colonial era. Our ancestors had no sense of nationhood yet. Instead, they were divided into different chiefdoms, each of which had its own leaders and laws.
Everything changed when the Spanish colonizers arrived. Ferdinand Magellan was the first one to lay claim to the islands, which he referred to as “San Lazaro,” You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. Many years later, Miguel López de Legazpi finally succeeded in putting the islands under the Spanish crown, christening it Las Islas Filipinas, after their King Felipe II.
Since Philip is the English counterpart of Felipe, several names for the country appeared in various sources from the 16th and 17th centuries. Among these are Philipinas, Philippinasand Piliphinas.
When control over the colony shifted from Spain to the U.S. in the late 19th century, our country was officially called the Philippine Islands. Sometime during the post-war era, we finally got rid of the “Islands,” which then gave birth to the Philippines, a name that remains unchanged.
Also Read: You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post.
Log in or register now.
The title page of the book Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, published in 1609 by Antonio de Morga (1559-1636)
Filipino to Pilipino
For centuries, Filipino was the term used to call those who live in the Filipinas during the Spanish colonial period. Ironically, it was first used to refer ONLY to the insulares, or Spaniards born in Filipinas.
As you may recall, our society back then had an unfair racial hierarchy, with the peninsulares or “pure” Spaniards at the top and the indios–including the indigenous groups–languishing at the bottom.
Also Read: You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
When the Americans took over, they couldn’t come up with a name to call the inhabitants of their new colony, now called the Philippine Islands. For some reason, they found “Philippian” or “Philippinian” unsuitable, so they ended up adopting the Spanish-era term Filipino.
In the 1930’s, as our independence from the U.S. was fast approaching, the Institute of National Language (INL) was established to determine a national language that would unite us as one. Not surprisingly, the group chose Tagalog (those who made the decision were predominantly Tagalog speakers) over two other choices, Cebuano and Ilokano.
As expected, the decision was soon followed by protracted debates. To solve the problem, the department of education in the 1950’s renamed the national language “Pilipino” which they believed captures the diversity of the Philippine language more accurately. Hence, we became the “Pilipino” speaking the “Pilipino” language.
But why choose Pilipino?
The proponents dug deeper into our history, You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.called baybayin, composed of 17 symbols or letters that obviously don’t include “F” or anything that sounds like it. For this reason, they decided that “Pilipino” was a better choice than “Filipino,” a term that constantly reminds us of our long, painful colonial history.
Soon, the Pilipino alphabet, otherwise known as the “abakada,” was born. Foreign words containing letters that don’t exist in the native baybayin had also undergone changes: F’s became P’s, C’s became K’s, and so forth.
Also Read:You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post.
Log in or register now.
Pilipino to Filipino
Change is the only constant thing in the world, and it took a few decades before the policy makers realized this. The 1973 Constitution paved the way for the adoption of “Filipino” as the national language. In contrast with its predecessor, this language would now include foreign-sounding letters, such as “F,” as well as loanwords.
The change was formally applied through the 1987 Constitution. From the “abakada”alphabet, we now have the enriched version which includes “foreign” letters (i.e. not part of the original baybayin) like x, z, c, f, v and j among others. Once again, we became the “Filipinos” speaking the “Filipino” language.
READ: You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
Today, both “Filipino and “Pilipino” are accepted words to describe the language and its speakers. The use of “Philippians” or “Philippino,” meanwhile, continues to reflect a person’s lack of understanding about the Filipinos and the long history of struggle that have made them who they are today.
From sugar laborer to Malinao’s first ‘OFW.’
Born in Lilo-an, Malinao, Aklan on Oct. 3, 1863, Candido Iban grew up with adventure flowing through his veins. His story bears a striking semblance to the struggles of many Filipinos today: A son of lowly farmers, the young Candido traveled from his home province to Iloilo then to Negros to find a decent job.
After working as a sugar laborer for a while, Candido—together with his friend Francisco Castillo (Francisco del Castillo in other sources)—headed toward Australia where they worked as pearl divers.
It made Candido the first “OFW” from his hometown and possibly the first in the whole of Visayas.
As fate would have it, the two Filipinos won a lottery in 1894, bagging a prize amounting to P1,000. Perhaps their victory was one of the reasons they decided to return to their Motherland one day.
On their way home, they met another Filipino in a boat and forged a friendship with him. The stranger turned out to be Procopio Bonifacio, a revolutionary leader and brother of the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post.
Log in or register now.
A monument of Candido in the plaza of Lilo-an, Malinao. Photo Credit: National Commission for the Culture and the Arts
‘A recruiting machine of epic proportions.’
Soon, Procopio Bonifacio was able to convince his new friends to join the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. Although the group was slowly gaining ground, a catalyst was needed to speed things up.
And there’s the rub—they lack funds to buy a printing press that would produce reading materials and ultimately increase their membership.
At this point, the two patriotic Aklanons came to the rescue. Whatever money was left from their savings and lottery windfall was donated so the Katipunan could purchase its own printing press.
To evade detection by spies and Spanish authorities, the press had to be initially stored in Andres Bonifacio’s house, located somewhere at the corner of today’s Zurbaran and Oroquieta Streets, before it was moved from place to place.
What appeared to be a simple tool bought through the goodwill of Candido Iban turned out to be a recruiting machine of epic proportions. The press printed not only the forms and the Kartilla of the Katipunan but also the legendary Kalayaan, Katipunan’s official newspaper.
The said periodical, whose first and last issue was published in March 1896, had Emilio Jacinto as the editor. It includes a story entitled “Pahayag” by Jacinto himself under the pseudonym Dimas-Ilaw; and a poem called “Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa” by Andres Bonifacio who used the pen-name Agapito Bagumbayan. Both works stirred in the masses a desire to rise above the challenges and finally help the country break free from the shäçkles of colonization.
Such was the influence of the newspaper and other reading materials that from mere 300 members in January 1896, the Katipunan grew to an astounding 30,000 members by the time it was discovered by the Spaniards.
All thanks to the founders’ dedication to spread the message and Candido Iban’s decision to put his lottery win into a good cause.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post.
Log in or register now.
Facsimile of the first page of Kalayaan, Katipunan’s only newspaper. Dated January 1896.
‘19 Martyrs of Aklan.’
Following the outbreak of the 1896 Philippine Revolution, Candido and his friend Francisco heeded the call to take up arms. Both returned to Aklan where they organized a local branch of the Katipunan, a first in the Visayas. The Katipuneros built a house in Candido’s birthplace, Lilo-an, and made it their headquarters.
On March 17, 1897, Francisco Castillo led his men to the town of Kalibo, which they were planning to attack the following day. Astride his white horse, General Castillo approached the mansion of Capitan Municipal Juan Azaraga, hoping to talk to the local leader. Instead, he was welcomed by a hail of bullets from a
Instead, he was welcomed by a hail of bullets from a guardia sibil named Moises Ilicito, killing him instantly.
Candido was supposed to join his friend, but was captured while on his way and was eventually jailed in Lezo. Those who survived the attack in Kalibo, meanwhile, hid in the mountains to evade capture.
To convince them to surrender, the head of Spanish forces in the Visayas, Colonel Ricardo Carnicero Monet, issued a proclamation that would grant pardon to insurgents who would come forward. Many fell into his trap.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post.
Log in or register now.
19 Martyrs of Aklan Freedom Shrine in Kalibo.
Instead of freedom, those who surrendered were imprisoned in Kalibo. From the prisoners, 19 were handpicked to face execution by firing squad. On March 23, 1897, these “19 martyrs of Aklan”—who received no trial at all—shed their blood and died as patriots. Among them were brothers Candido and Benito Iban.
Today, a monument of Candido stands in the plaza of Lilo-an, Malinao. It’s a bittersweet symbol that constantly reminds us of a man—familiar to most Aklanons but completely unknown to the rest of the Filipinos—who rose from the sea of obscurity to prove that even simple laborers can leave an indelible mark in history.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
The Oldest Known Photos of the Philippines Ever Taken
Located at the lower Washington Heights area in NYC, the Hispanic Society of America is a century-old institution often mistaken as a sports or social club because of its name. No less than The New York Times described it as the “most misunderstood” place in the city.
Notwithstanding its weak efforts to attract more visitors, the HSA is a museum-cum-research library where one can find world-class paintings by Goya, Velázquez and El Greco, just to name a few.
Also Read: You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
For Luisa Casella and Rosina Herrera, however, what they discovered here in April 2007 are more memorable than most things displayed in the museum. Tucked away in a cabinet at the 7th floor of the building were a group of 18 rare daguerreotypes of Manila from the 1840s, possibly the oldest photographic record of the Philippines ever discovered.
At that time, Casella and Herrera were both Andrew W. Mellon Fellows from the Advanced Residency Program in Photograph Conservation (ARP). Their original plan was to rummage HSA’s photo collection and preserve what’s left. Things turned into a different direction when they found the Manila daguerreotypes inside a cardboard box.
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Discovery of Manila daguerreotypes in their storage box. Photo Credit: Rosina Herrera/George Eastman House.
Composed of 13 whole plates and 5 half-plates, the photos show incredibly preserved views of Manila, Marikina and Laguna never seen before by the public. Aware of the very nature of these early photographs, they soon embarked on a painstaking project to prevent the artifacts from suffering permanent damage.
To accomplish the mission, they sought the help of the oldest museum dedicated to photography–the George Eastman House. The latter’s Photograph Conservation Department worked closely with different conservation scientists, putting all the work for 18 straight months just to ensure the housings and the photos themselves would be in tiptop shape.
The results, thankfully, are nothing short of remarkable.
Table of Contents [You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.]
A daguerreotype is the great granddaddy of modern-day photographs. It was named after the Frenchman Louis Daguerre who, in 1838, took a photo of a Parisian having his shoe shined.
The said picture, possibly the first in history to ever feature a human being, was produced using an early process pioneered by Daguerre himself. In this system, particulates of silver, mercury, and gold were formed on the surface of a silvered copper plate.
Daguerre’s camera required exposure times that could last as long as 15 minutes or so. Now you know You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
It may have achieved a milestone but Daguerre’s photo doesn’t hold the distinction of being the first daguerreotype in history. That honor belongs to a picture taken by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, one of Daguerre’s partners. This oldest surviving photograph, estimated to have been taken either in 1826 or 1827, shows a view from Niépce’s upstairs window at his estate in Le Gras, in the Burgundy region of France.
Also Read: You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
Daguerreotypes are extremely sensitive, so much so that surface contact or even air pollution could render these photos permanently damaged. This is why as soon as the pictures were formed, pioneer photographers put them inside tightly sealed housings.
The daguerreotype housings are of two kinds: the French style and the British/American style. Upon their discovery, the Manila daguerreotypes were enclosed in French style housings, also known as passe-partouts. Now, in order for them to estimate how old these pictures are, the experts looked at various elements, which included the features of the said housings.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post.
Log in or register now.
Basic structure of a daguerreotype plate in passe-partout. Illustration by Mark Osterman.
In a detailed report by fifth cycle fellow Caroline Barcella of the Conservation Department at George Eastman House, she discussed that a typical French housing from the early 19th century consists of “a cover glass, a window mat, and a backing board bound together with paper sealing tape.”
From the early to late 1840s, the trend was to use a reverse painted cover glass which also served as the window mat. After that, a thick slanted mat was added just beneath the reverse painted cover glass.
Also Read: You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
Among the Manila daguerreotypes discovered, most have “reverse painted glass with an octagonal window opening” while others either have missing cover glass or a painted glass with beveled mat.
Judging by the style of the housings and the photographic process used to produce these pictures, it can be said that the Manila daguerreotypes were taken from the early 1840s to the early 1850s.
Another element that the scientists looked into was the logo of the plate maker. Fifteen of the daguerreotypes discovered share the same logo–a six-pointed star–which suggests that they came from the same plate maker.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post.
Log in or register now.
The plate maker logo showing a six-pointed star. Photo Credit: George Eastman House.
As for his identity, the conservation scientists had only one person in mind: Jules Alphonse Eugène Itier (1802-1877), the plate maker of the pictures displayed at the exhibition “Paris et le daguerreotype.” The said daguerreotypes bear the same “six-pointed star” logo and dated from 1842.
During the course of my research, I’ve also discovered that Itier once served as French attache at Peking, China. Between 1843 and 1846, he visited several Asian countries and took daguerreotypes of people and places he encountered along the way.
Some of Itier’s surviving plates show the earliest portraits of Singapore, Borneo, and–surprise, surprise–Manila! He even described some of our ancestors as peaceful and meek, far from being the savages portrayed by the Westerners.
Is Jules Itier the same person who shot the Manila daguerreotypes discovered in New York City? Maybe. But one sure thing we know so far, and that is both the housings and plates are of French origin.
As for the real story behind these old pictures, we have to dig a little bit deeper to find the answers…
The Philippines as we know it was nonexistent in the pre-colonial era. Our ancestors had no sense of nationhood yet. Instead, they were divided into different chiefdoms, each of which had its own leaders and laws.
Everything changed when the Spanish colonizers arrived. Ferdinand Magellan was the first one to lay claim to the islands, which he referred to as “San Lazaro,” You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. Many years later, Miguel López de Legazpi finally succeeded in putting the islands under the Spanish crown, christening it Las Islas Filipinas, after their King Felipe II.
Since Philip is the English counterpart of Felipe, several names for the country appeared in various sources from the 16th and 17th centuries. Among these are Philipinas, Philippinasand Piliphinas.
When control over the colony shifted from Spain to the U.S. in the late 19th century, our country was officially called the Philippine Islands. Sometime during the post-war era, we finally got rid of the “Islands,” which then gave birth to the Philippines, a name that remains unchanged.
Also Read: You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post.
Log in or register now.The title page of the book Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, published in 1609 by Antonio de Morga (1559-1636)
Filipino to Pilipino
For centuries, Filipino was the term used to call those who live in the Filipinas during the Spanish colonial period. Ironically, it was first used to refer ONLY to the insulares, or Spaniards born in Filipinas.
As you may recall, our society back then had an unfair racial hierarchy, with the peninsulares or “pure” Spaniards at the top and the indios–including the indigenous groups–languishing at the bottom.
Also Read: You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
When the Americans took over, they couldn’t come up with a name to call the inhabitants of their new colony, now called the Philippine Islands. For some reason, they found “Philippian” or “Philippinian” unsuitable, so they ended up adopting the Spanish-era term Filipino.
In the 1930’s, as our independence from the U.S. was fast approaching, the Institute of National Language (INL) was established to determine a national language that would unite us as one. Not surprisingly, the group chose Tagalog (those who made the decision were predominantly Tagalog speakers) over two other choices, Cebuano and Ilokano.
As expected, the decision was soon followed by protracted debates. To solve the problem, the department of education in the 1950’s renamed the national language “Pilipino” which they believed captures the diversity of the Philippine language more accurately. Hence, we became the “Pilipino” speaking the “Pilipino” language.
But why choose Pilipino?
The proponents dug deeper into our history, You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.called baybayin, composed of 17 symbols or letters that obviously don’t include “F” or anything that sounds like it. For this reason, they decided that “Pilipino” was a better choice than “Filipino,” a term that constantly reminds us of our long, painful colonial history.
Soon, the Pilipino alphabet, otherwise known as the “abakada,” was born. Foreign words containing letters that don’t exist in the native baybayin had also undergone changes: F’s became P’s, C’s became K’s, and so forth.
Also Read:You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post.
Log in or register now.Pilipino to Filipino
Change is the only constant thing in the world, and it took a few decades before the policy makers realized this. The 1973 Constitution paved the way for the adoption of “Filipino” as the national language. In contrast with its predecessor, this language would now include foreign-sounding letters, such as “F,” as well as loanwords.
The change was formally applied through the 1987 Constitution. From the “abakada”alphabet, we now have the enriched version which includes “foreign” letters (i.e. not part of the original baybayin) like x, z, c, f, v and j among others. Once again, we became the “Filipinos” speaking the “Filipino” language.
READ: You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
Today, both “Filipino and “Pilipino” are accepted words to describe the language and its speakers. The use of “Philippians” or “Philippino,” meanwhile, continues to reflect a person’s lack of understanding about the Filipinos and the long history of struggle that have made them who they are today.
From sugar laborer to Malinao’s first ‘OFW.’
Born in Lilo-an, Malinao, Aklan on Oct. 3, 1863, Candido Iban grew up with adventure flowing through his veins. His story bears a striking semblance to the struggles of many Filipinos today: A son of lowly farmers, the young Candido traveled from his home province to Iloilo then to Negros to find a decent job.
After working as a sugar laborer for a while, Candido—together with his friend Francisco Castillo (Francisco del Castillo in other sources)—headed toward Australia where they worked as pearl divers.
It made Candido the first “OFW” from his hometown and possibly the first in the whole of Visayas.
As fate would have it, the two Filipinos won a lottery in 1894, bagging a prize amounting to P1,000. Perhaps their victory was one of the reasons they decided to return to their Motherland one day.
On their way home, they met another Filipino in a boat and forged a friendship with him. The stranger turned out to be Procopio Bonifacio, a revolutionary leader and brother of the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post.
Log in or register now.A monument of Candido in the plaza of Lilo-an, Malinao. Photo Credit: National Commission for the Culture and the Arts
‘A recruiting machine of epic proportions.’
Soon, Procopio Bonifacio was able to convince his new friends to join the You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.. Although the group was slowly gaining ground, a catalyst was needed to speed things up.
And there’s the rub—they lack funds to buy a printing press that would produce reading materials and ultimately increase their membership.
At this point, the two patriotic Aklanons came to the rescue. Whatever money was left from their savings and lottery windfall was donated so the Katipunan could purchase its own printing press.
To evade detection by spies and Spanish authorities, the press had to be initially stored in Andres Bonifacio’s house, located somewhere at the corner of today’s Zurbaran and Oroquieta Streets, before it was moved from place to place.
What appeared to be a simple tool bought through the goodwill of Candido Iban turned out to be a recruiting machine of epic proportions. The press printed not only the forms and the Kartilla of the Katipunan but also the legendary Kalayaan, Katipunan’s official newspaper.
The said periodical, whose first and last issue was published in March 1896, had Emilio Jacinto as the editor. It includes a story entitled “Pahayag” by Jacinto himself under the pseudonym Dimas-Ilaw; and a poem called “Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa” by Andres Bonifacio who used the pen-name Agapito Bagumbayan. Both works stirred in the masses a desire to rise above the challenges and finally help the country break free from the shäçkles of colonization.
Such was the influence of the newspaper and other reading materials that from mere 300 members in January 1896, the Katipunan grew to an astounding 30,000 members by the time it was discovered by the Spaniards.
All thanks to the founders’ dedication to spread the message and Candido Iban’s decision to put his lottery win into a good cause.
Facsimile of the first page of Kalayaan, Katipunan’s only newspaper. Dated January 1896.
‘19 Martyrs of Aklan.’
Following the outbreak of the 1896 Philippine Revolution, Candido and his friend Francisco heeded the call to take up arms. Both returned to Aklan where they organized a local branch of the Katipunan, a first in the Visayas. The Katipuneros built a house in Candido’s birthplace, Lilo-an, and made it their headquarters.
On March 17, 1897, Francisco Castillo led his men to the town of Kalibo, which they were planning to attack the following day. Astride his white horse, General Castillo approached the mansion of Capitan Municipal Juan Azaraga, hoping to talk to the local leader. Instead, he was welcomed by a hail of bullets from a
Instead, he was welcomed by a hail of bullets from a guardia sibil named Moises Ilicito, killing him instantly.
Candido was supposed to join his friend, but was captured while on his way and was eventually jailed in Lezo. Those who survived the attack in Kalibo, meanwhile, hid in the mountains to evade capture.
To convince them to surrender, the head of Spanish forces in the Visayas, Colonel Ricardo Carnicero Monet, issued a proclamation that would grant pardon to insurgents who would come forward. Many fell into his trap.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post.
Log in or register now.19 Martyrs of Aklan Freedom Shrine in Kalibo.
Instead of freedom, those who surrendered were imprisoned in Kalibo. From the prisoners, 19 were handpicked to face execution by firing squad. On March 23, 1897, these “19 martyrs of Aklan”—who received no trial at all—shed their blood and died as patriots. Among them were brothers Candido and Benito Iban.
Today, a monument of Candido stands in the plaza of Lilo-an, Malinao. It’s a bittersweet symbol that constantly reminds us of a man—familiar to most Aklanons but completely unknown to the rest of the Filipinos—who rose from the sea of obscurity to prove that even simple laborers can leave an indelible mark in history.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
The Oldest Known Photos of the Philippines Ever Taken
Located at the lower Washington Heights area in NYC, the Hispanic Society of America is a century-old institution often mistaken as a sports or social club because of its name. No less than The New York Times described it as the “most misunderstood” place in the city.
Notwithstanding its weak efforts to attract more visitors, the HSA is a museum-cum-research library where one can find world-class paintings by Goya, Velázquez and El Greco, just to name a few.
Also Read: You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
For Luisa Casella and Rosina Herrera, however, what they discovered here in April 2007 are more memorable than most things displayed in the museum. Tucked away in a cabinet at the 7th floor of the building were a group of 18 rare daguerreotypes of Manila from the 1840s, possibly the oldest photographic record of the Philippines ever discovered.
At that time, Casella and Herrera were both Andrew W. Mellon Fellows from the Advanced Residency Program in Photograph Conservation (ARP). Their original plan was to rummage HSA’s photo collection and preserve what’s left. Things turned into a different direction when they found the Manila daguerreotypes inside a cardboard box.
Discovery of Manila daguerreotypes in their storage box. Photo Credit: Rosina Herrera/George Eastman House.
Composed of 13 whole plates and 5 half-plates, the photos show incredibly preserved views of Manila, Marikina and Laguna never seen before by the public. Aware of the very nature of these early photographs, they soon embarked on a painstaking project to prevent the artifacts from suffering permanent damage.
To accomplish the mission, they sought the help of the oldest museum dedicated to photography–the George Eastman House. The latter’s Photograph Conservation Department worked closely with different conservation scientists, putting all the work for 18 straight months just to ensure the housings and the photos themselves would be in tiptop shape.
The results, thankfully, are nothing short of remarkable.
Table of Contents [You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.]
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A daguerreotype is the great granddaddy of modern-day photographs. It was named after the Frenchman Louis Daguerre who, in 1838, took a photo of a Parisian having his shoe shined.
The said picture, possibly the first in history to ever feature a human being, was produced using an early process pioneered by Daguerre himself. In this system, particulates of silver, mercury, and gold were formed on the surface of a silvered copper plate.
Daguerre’s camera required exposure times that could last as long as 15 minutes or so. Now you know You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..
It may have achieved a milestone but Daguerre’s photo doesn’t hold the distinction of being the first daguerreotype in history. That honor belongs to a picture taken by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, one of Daguerre’s partners. This oldest surviving photograph, estimated to have been taken either in 1826 or 1827, shows a view from Niépce’s upstairs window at his estate in Le Gras, in the Burgundy region of France.
Also Read: You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
Daguerreotypes are extremely sensitive, so much so that surface contact or even air pollution could render these photos permanently damaged. This is why as soon as the pictures were formed, pioneer photographers put them inside tightly sealed housings.
The daguerreotype housings are of two kinds: the French style and the British/American style. Upon their discovery, the Manila daguerreotypes were enclosed in French style housings, also known as passe-partouts. Now, in order for them to estimate how old these pictures are, the experts looked at various elements, which included the features of the said housings.
Basic structure of a daguerreotype plate in passe-partout. Illustration by Mark Osterman.
In a detailed report by fifth cycle fellow Caroline Barcella of the Conservation Department at George Eastman House, she discussed that a typical French housing from the early 19th century consists of “a cover glass, a window mat, and a backing board bound together with paper sealing tape.”
From the early to late 1840s, the trend was to use a reverse painted cover glass which also served as the window mat. After that, a thick slanted mat was added just beneath the reverse painted cover glass.
Also Read: You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
Among the Manila daguerreotypes discovered, most have “reverse painted glass with an octagonal window opening” while others either have missing cover glass or a painted glass with beveled mat.
Judging by the style of the housings and the photographic process used to produce these pictures, it can be said that the Manila daguerreotypes were taken from the early 1840s to the early 1850s.
Another element that the scientists looked into was the logo of the plate maker. Fifteen of the daguerreotypes discovered share the same logo–a six-pointed star–which suggests that they came from the same plate maker.
The plate maker logo showing a six-pointed star. Photo Credit: George Eastman House.
As for his identity, the conservation scientists had only one person in mind: Jules Alphonse Eugène Itier (1802-1877), the plate maker of the pictures displayed at the exhibition “Paris et le daguerreotype.” The said daguerreotypes bear the same “six-pointed star” logo and dated from 1842.
During the course of my research, I’ve also discovered that Itier once served as French attache at Peking, China. Between 1843 and 1846, he visited several Asian countries and took daguerreotypes of people and places he encountered along the way.
Some of Itier’s surviving plates show the earliest portraits of Singapore, Borneo, and–surprise, surprise–Manila! He even described some of our ancestors as peaceful and meek, far from being the savages portrayed by the Westerners.
Is Jules Itier the same person who shot the Manila daguerreotypes discovered in New York City? Maybe. But one sure thing we know so far, and that is both the housings and plates are of French origin.
As for the real story behind these old pictures, we have to dig a little bit deeper to find the answers…
