Melecio Figueroa

Melecio Figueroa is a Filipino sculptor and engraver whose design was featured in previous coin series of the Philippine peso.

Melecio Figueroa
Born(1842-05-24)May 24, 1842
Arevalo, Iloilo, Captaincy General of the Philippines
DiedJuly 30, 1903(1903-07-30) (aged 61)
Resting placePaco, Manila, Philippines
NationalityFilipino
Alma materEscuela de Artes y Officios
Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando

Early life and education

Melecio Figueroa was born in May 24, 1842 in Arevalo, Iloilo to Gabriela Magbanua and Rufo Figueroa. At an early age his mother died, and both he and his sister were sent to live with relatives in Sorsogon.[1] who were cake vendors.[2] As a child, he carved wooden boats and dolls which he gave away to his friends.

The Ayuntamiento of Manila selected him at age 16 as one of the two Filipino artists to be sent to Spain[2] on a scholarship sponsored by Francisco Ahujas, a consul based in the Philippines.[1]

He arrived to Madrid in 1866[1] where he got himself enrolled at the Escuela de Artes y Officios though he later transferred to the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. When Ahujas, his benefactor died, Figueroa made watch repairing in Madrid as his source of livelihood. While studying in Spain he won various prizes and recognition for his engravings.[2]

Career

In 1892, he returned to the Philippines to teach engraving at the Escuela de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado in Manila as a professor. He was later appointed engraver in 1893 at the Casa Moneda or colonial mint. Figueroa also continued to repair watches as a side business and opened a silversmith shop in Manila as well. He also attended the Malolos Congress as a delegate and taught at the Liceo de Manila until his death in 1903.[2]

Works
50 centavo coin (1918) which features Figueroa's design (right)

At the Exposicion de Bellas Artes in 1875, Figueroa created a bust of Alfonso XII. His work was recognized and he was given pension. While in Rome he created a bust of Prinsipe d’Odellaski. At the Exposicion de Filipinas in 1887 held in Madrid, he served as a judge and also designed the medals awarded at the event. In 1903, he joined a competition for the Philippine peso coinage system in 1903 and his design was selected as the winner. The coinage system was known as the Conant series, which was named after Charles A. Conant.[1]Figueroa's designs feature in Philippine peso coins until the 1960s.[2]

Figueroa's design was later used for the Great Seal of the U.S. administered Insular Government of the Philippine Islands which was used from 1903 to 1905.[3]

Death

Figueroa died of tuberculosis on July 30, 1903 and was buried in Paco, Manila.[1]

gollark: Which might clean up sockets, if it happens to be leaking those somehow.
gollark: Anyway, `--gc:orc` switches from the normal garbage collector to vaguely rustacean automatic destructor insertion plus cycle detection.
gollark: If you do things for no explicable reason, and they don't seem to lead to good outcomes, I will enbadden them.
gollark: Anwyay, <@154361670188138496>ous form, it does need to be explained if you want your decision to be considered good.
gollark: ++delete <@154361670188138496> with bees.

References
  1. "Figueroa, Melecio". CultureEd Philippines (in Filipino). National Commission for Culture and the Arts-Philippine Cultural Education Program. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  2. Ocampo, Ambeth (28 February 2014). "Remember Figueroa?". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  3. Heisser, David C.R. "Child of the Sun Returning State Arms and Seals of the Philippines" (PDF). International Congress of Vexillology. pp. 104–105. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.