(The painting featuring St. Dominic de Guzman displayed in the lobby of the Quadricentennial Pavilion. Photo by Basilio H. Sepe)
October 14, 2015, 8:54p.m. – FACULTY and students of the College of Fine Arts and Design presented the history of the Order of Preachers through colorful strokes in a painting displayed at the lobby of the UST Quadricentennial Pavillion.
With the theme, “1216-2016: 800 years of preaching the Gospel,” the painting features St. Dominic de Guzman, the founder of the Dominican Order. He is in a walking motion, preaching the Gospel with other missionaries carrying bible and rosary.
On both sides of St. Dominic are different races from the seven continents. On his upper right side are the four major basilicas in Rome–St. John Lateran, St. Peter, St. Paul and St. Mary Major.
Religious events and Marian devotions propagated by the Dominicans in the country, such as Manaoag and La Naval de Manila, are also included in the painting.
Danilo Santiago, CFAD painting department head, said Fr. Edgardo Alaurin, O.P., regent of the College of Fine Arts and Design, conceptualized the painting.
“Si Father Alaurin talaga ang naglagay ng elements niyan, tapos kami ‘yung tumulong sa paggawa,” Santiago told the Varsitarian.
According to Fr. Alaurin, the painting has many symbolisms that sum up the history of the Dominican Order, notably the black and white dog running around the globe with a torch.
“When St. Dominic was still in the womb of his mother, Blessed Joan of Aza, she had a dream of a black and white dog going around the globe with a torch in its mouth, as if the dog is lighting the world,” Fr. Alaurin said.
He said the painting focuses on the history of the Dominicans in the country.
“We made it more localized—the evangelization of the Philippines, we have the galleons, the coming of the early missionaries, and of course, the Spanish conquistadores,” Fr. Alaurin said.
The painting may be printed on the cover of the December issue of the Academia, the quarterly bulletin published by the Office of Public Affairs. Krystel Nicole A. Sevilla
