PROPERTY FROM THE DON J. ANTONIO ARANETA COLLECTION
Fort Santiago
signed and dated 1930 (lower left)
oil on canvas
22" x 28" (56 cm x 71 cm)






Various scenes of Manila figure prominently in the works of Dominador Castañeda. In this work, the revered artist-mentor depicts a pre-war view of the historic Fort Santiago (before all the reclamation frenzies). Specifically, Castañeda shows the towering Baluarte de Santa Barbara and the Falsabraga de Media Naranja (so named after its shape that resembles a half orange). The Baluarte de Santa Barbara, the fort’s highest defensive structure and named after the patron saint of artillerymen and armorers, was built in the 16th century to serve as a line of defense at the mouth of the Pasig River, where it meets with the Manila Bay. It was further fortified by the construction of the Falsabraga de Media Naranja, which was built from 1729 to 1745. During the American colonial rule, the US forces built a wooden headquarters and a tower on the baluarte, transforming the centuries-old structure into their command post and the site of their administrative offices. During World War II, the dungeons beneath the baluarte, which were formerly storage vaults for gunpowder, became dreaded prisons that witnessed the harrowing death of more than 600 civilians and military forces. Castañeda imbues the composition with the mundaneness of everyday living; cascos transporting freight and people can be seen plying the pristine waters of the Pasig, which the artist highlights using a mixture of verdant greens and calm blues. However, Castañeda’s use of somber colors adds a layer of enigma to the work, especially since Fort Santiago was a symbol of colonial rule; it was the military base of the Spanish, British, American, and Japanese imperial powers. (Adrian Maranan)