The Thomasites Were Here

ALFREDO ESQUILLO JR.
The Thomasites Were Here
2009
Oil on canvas
182.88 x 457.2 cm
Paulino and Hetty Que Collection

1. What can you tell from the three panels in this painting? What is the setting, and who do you think the people in the painting are?

It is based on old historical photographs of students at a Thomasite school. I could tell that the people in the painting are very disciplined as the students were all facing the front, sitting still. For the second panel, i believe it is a group of scouts, smartly dressed up in their uniform, proudly displaying their drums and American flags.


2. Which era, or period in history, do you think this painting depicts? Why do you think so?

It depicts the period of time when the American missionaries that came to Philippines in 1901, introducing a new education system which the artist believes led to the exclusion of native cultures and values. I think so by judging from the clothes they are attired in.


3. Do you notice about anything strange or disturbing about this painting? How has the artist used certain details to create this sense of strangeness?

Yes, i do notice something strange or disturbing about this painting. In the third panel of the painting, the children are painted without any facial features and the panel was painted in shades of black, grey and white, causing it to look eerie and a little scary.