Analysis on the El Asaninato del Gobernador Bustamante’ by Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo

 

'El Asasinato del Gobernador Bustamante' by Felix R. Hidalgo. Photo source: wikimedia commons.

This massive painting hung in the ‘hall of the masters’ at the national museum depicts the scene of the

assassination of Governor Bustamante, who was the governor-general of the Philippine islands from

1717 to 1719, and the mob of Dominican friars storming the ‘Palacio del Gobernador’ in rage and

anger to kill the governor-general who was seen being dragged in chains by the friars. Soldiers can be

seen on the steps of the staircase encircling the religious. We can also see religious banners, crosses and

the ‘ceriales’ (processional candle and processional cross) depicting the Virgin Mary and the Eucharist

and interestingly, an altar boy near the foreground carrying the processional cross, wearing a Spanish

red cassock and laced surplice watching the fiasco as in happens right in front of his very eyes.

Hidalgo's depiction of the scene is quite straightforward if you will, but let us look into a deeper

analysis on the relation of the piece of art to the historical and literary accounts or sources.

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This painting has never been exhibited during the lifetime of Hidalgo according to an article from the National Museum written by Alfredo Roces. We can also associate Hidalgo to those Filipinos who are opposing the systems of the Church especially on corruption but he kept a low-profile. We can assume that this painting has been created to express his sentiments towards the friars - a strong political statement, I must say - but apart from that, we must also consider the educational and cultural of Hidalgo. He was a student of law in Real Universidad de Santo Tomas (now UST) but he never finished, at the same time, he was also enrolled in Escuela de Dibujo y Pintura where he honed his craft in the arts. Hidalgo also came from the Illustrados, the social class at that time who are commonly associated with the elite class among the indios. Given these backgrounds, we can assume that he is well aware of the political landscape of the country at that time because of his social class and education, and he was also under the dominican educational system, just like Rizal before he transferred to Ateneo de Municipal. If we will go back on the painting subject, the scene depicts the Dominicans being the violent ones, trying to cover up their crimes and corruption, whilst the guards seemed powerless, the governor-general in chains, friars holding the tip of the pikes - this suggests the Church’ power and influence over the state during those times. I find it odd that despite the overwhelming numbers of ‘armed’ guards, the friars still managed to chain the head of the state and drag it to the very steps of the staircase. I take these visual elements as symbolic in nature. Another point of interest for me is the use of banners, I associate it with the roman legionnaires. Throughout the classical history, these kind of banners were being used in their identity as part of the empire and I think of it as a metaphor here in this particular painting. Instead of the Aquilla symbol, Hidalgo used the religious icons of the Virgin and the Eucharist, I believe that these banners served the purpose of letting the people identify these friars as the legionnaires who belong to the greatest power that seats in Rome and in fact, it is a clear evidence of their affiliation to Rome, the Pope. These devices are very interesting to analyze because of its historical significance. The king of Spain is loyal to the Pope, thus, the Church will always be supreme to the State. Notice also the raising of the crosses by the friar behind the governor-general as if it was repelling the many pikes attempting to stab the religious, another bold statement of the superiority of the Church’ authority as I take it. I also want to express my interest in the participation of the altar boy in the scene, a young person, witnessing such violence happening right in front of him while holding a cross, a symbol of the Church where he belong. I think of it as Hidalgo’s device to portray the young and the innocent being fooled by the corrupted ways of the friars that time. 

Thus, this painting is Hidalgo’s view of that time, his message to his fellow citizens of the country and his propaganda. The exposition of the Church’ political influence and power versus the State in the painting echoed Hidalgo’s anticlerical sentiments and the complicated and dysfunctional relationship between the Church and the State in the Philippines at that time. Hidalgo’s El Asasinato del Gobernador Bustamante’ is a reminder of the danger of abusing one’s authority. Corruption can hide in many faces, however, I do not want to generalize the Church or the State on that matter because I am considering the historical events that occured during the time of the artist, but I argue that the message is still relevant today, the abuse of power leads to corruption and death of the oppressed and the innocent.