The Forgotten Masters: 5 Filipina Artists Who Made History

Every time we hear about the greats of Philippine art history, it’s always Juan Luna this, Fernando Amorsolo that. But let’s be real, where are the women? The truth is, Filipina artists have always been creating, pushing boundaries, and defining artistic movements. They just don’t get the same spotlight.

For International Women’s Month, we’re bringing some of these historical Filipina artists out of the margins and into the spotlight. These are the OGs of Philippine art, the ones who shattered ceilings (and maybe painted them too), proving that women have always belonged in the world of art, ever since the beginning.

1. Paz Paterno (1867–1914)

Think of Paz Paterno as the ultimate trailblazer. In the 19th century, when the art world was basically a boy’s club, she became one of the first recorded Filipina painters. Born into a prominent family, she mastered still-life paintings, capturing the textures and colors of native fruits and flowers in a way that made you want to reach out and grab them. Her works exude a quiet, almost meditative beauty, but her mere presence in the field was revolutionary. Her two paintings: Still Life and Fruits and Basket, are the earliest known existing artwork of a woman visual artist in the Philippines.

While official records of awards are scarce, Paterno’s works were displayed in significant exhibitions, including Spanish-sponsored art fairs, where her mastery of still life was noted by critics. Most of her work today can only be seen in private collections and there are no known photographs of her likeness.

Beyond painting, Paterno was also a skilled musician and played the piano, showing that her artistic talents extended beyond the canvas. She also came from a family of talented artists: her sister Dolores Paterno was known for composing the song "La Flor de Manila" (also known as "Sampaguita") and her brother, Pedro was an accomplished writer whose novel, Ninay, written in 1885, was the first novel written by a Filipino ever to be published in Spanish.

2. Carmen Zaragoza y Roxas (1867–1943)

A painting of Carmen Zaragoza y Roxas at Immaculate Conception Parish Church of San Agustin, Wikimedia Commons.

A woman winning an art competition in the 19th century? Unheard of, that is until Carmen Zaragoza y Roxas did it. In 1892, she won the first prize in the Exposición Regional de Filipinas for her painting Dos Inteligencias (Two Intelligences). While the piece and mane of her work seems to have been lost to history, her victory was historic. At a time when women were expected to be muses rather than artists, she flipped the script and proved they could be award-winning creators, too.

Aside from winning the Exposición Regional de Filipinas, she was one of the few women whose name was included in the early catalogs of Philippine art, ensuring her legacy.

Despite her artistic success, Zaragoza y Roxas was from a politically influential family, and her father, Felipe Zaragoza, was once the mayor of Manilama and her husband, with whom she birthed 14 children, Gregorio Araneta. Yes, that “Araneta”. This gave her access to elite art circles that many women at the time could only dream of.

3. Anita Magsaysay-Ho (1914–2012)

Before we talk about her signature Magbabalut and Maglalako paintings, let’s take a moment to appreciate how Anita Magsaysay-Ho held down her own in a male-dominated post-war art scene just like the other ladies mentioned before her.. She was the only woman in the Thirteen Moderns, a group of trailblazing modernist painters in the Philippines. Her works, know for their Social Realist and post-Cubist portrayals of Filipino life and culture often featured strong, hardworking Filipina women, radiate power and movement, almost like a prelude to feminist art. Magsaysay-Ho didn’t just paint women, she painted them as the backbone of Filipino society. And honestly? Rightfully so.

Fruit Vendors, by Anita Magsaysay-Ho

She was a recipient of the prestigious Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Centennial Award in 1999, recognizing her lifetime contribution to Philippine modern art.

She also studied under Fernando Amorsolo before she moved to the US to study at Cranbrook University in Michigan, yet her artistic style evolved into something vastly different from his romanticized pastoral scenes. She later trained at the Art Students League of New York, where she was influenced by Western modernist techniques. Her work can be found among the collections of institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, and the Ateneo Art Gallery in Manila, Philippines.

4. Pacita Abad (1946–2004)

Pacita Abad was an artist who lived as colorfully as she possible could, literally. Her signature trapunto style (stuffed, quilted paintings) turned canvases into textured explosions of color, depicting everything from tribal masks to social issues. She traveled the world, absorbing and transforming global influences into distinctly Filipino expressions. Whether she was creating massive public art pieces or painting political realities, Abad never played by the rules. She once said, “I have to paint, I have to create, because I have something to say.” And she said it loudly and vibrantly.

Photo Credit: www.pacitaabad.com, Michael Liew

In 1984, she became the first woman to win the Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) award in the Philippines for her contributions to the arts, a testament to how groundbreaking her work was.

Born in Batanes, Philippines in 1946, Abad was the daughter of a congressman, who had high hopes that she would follow in his footsteps. In turn, before becoming an artist, Abad initially studied law at the University of the Philippines. However, after political activism forced her to flee martial law-era Philippines to the US, she pivoted to painting and never looked back.

Her work has be presented in all the major museums in the Philippines as well as the US, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Bronx Museum of the Arts, and the Tate Modern.

5. Nena Saguil (1924–1994)

Abstract art in the Philippines? Thank Nena Saguil. While everyone else was painting lush landscapes and realistic portraits, she was out here in the ‘50s and ‘60s pioneering abstraction. She broke away from traditional forms and dove deep into cosmic, dreamlike visuals, full of circles, dots, and intricate layers. Moving to Paris only deepened her artistic philosophy, making her a key figure in Philippine modernism. Saguil’s works weren’t just paintings; they were portals to an unseen, almost spiritual dimension. If being ahead of your time was an art form, she’d have mastered that too. She was one of the first Filipinas to have a solo exhibit at the Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris, solidifying her place in the international art scene.

Nena Saguil, untitled, 1978.

Saguil lived in near-seclusion in Paris, choosing an almost monastic lifestyle dedicated entirely to her art. Despite being far from home, she maintained correspondence with fellow Filipino artists, influencing modernist movements back in Manila.

The fact that these women aren’t household names tells you everything you need to know about how history has sidelined Filipina artists. But their contributions are undeniable. They paved the way for today’s Filipina creatives, proving that artistry isn’t just a man’s game, it never was.

So, the next time someone drops Luna or Amorsolo in an art conversation, hit them with these names. Let’s make sure these Filipina pioneers get the recognition they deserve, not just during Women’s Month, but always.