Periods of Philippine Art

• Periods of Philippine Art History

  • Pre-Colonial Arts/Ethnic Arts 900-1521
  • Islamic Era 13AD
  • Spanish Era 1521-1898
  • American Era 1899-1940
  • Japanese Era 1941-1945
  • Modern Era 1946-1969
• Pre-Colonial Arts/Ethnic Arts 900-1521


  Arts in this period were for ritual purposes or everyday use only. Music, sculpture, paintings, pottery, and dance were the widely known art forms.
• Islamic Era 13AD


  Islamic art covers a range of artistic fields including architecture, calligraphy, painting, glass, ceramics, and textiles. Filipino Muslims have two artistic styles: curved-line woodcarving and metalworking called okir, and the dance Singkil.
• Spanish Era 1521-1898


  The Spaniards introduced formal paintings, sculpture and architecture influenced with Byzantine, Gothic, Baroque and Rococo art styles. They also introduced Western dances such as the Fandango, Lanceros, Rigodon, Carinosa and Curacha.
• American Era 1899-1940


  The new patrons, including the Americans, favored landscapes, still life and genre themes. American lifestyle and pop culture gave rise to Pinoy pop music and dance forms like Boogie-Woogie and Disco.
• Japanese Era 1941-1945


  Visual arts were used for propaganda, with paintings, leaflets, flyers and posters containing imposition of Nihonggo warding off American influence. Performing arts included music, drama and minimalist, geometric sculptures.
• Modern Era 1946-1969


  A turning point was the emergence of the "13 Modernists" group which included artists who had received their education abroad where they had come in contact with various new and experimental styles.