In celebration of History Week 2008, the National Historical Institute (NHI) pays tribute to Batangueño sculptor Anastacio T. Caedo with an exhibit titled “Sari Saring Rizal” on view until Dec. 30 at the Rizal Shrine in Fort Santiago, Intramuros, Manila.
The opening was graced by NHI executive director Leodovico Badoy and Batangueño art patron Danny Dolor.
“Sari Saring Rizal” features Caedo’s sculptural works on National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal from the collection of banker Nestor Vera Cruz.
Caedo was the sculptor-assistant of Guillermo Tolentino. He was a professor at the UP School of Fine Arts for 20 years.
After World War II, he established himself as a sculptor creating works for public and private entities. He specialized in representational sculpture such as monuments of national heroes, politicians, businessmen and educators. Among his most popular works are the seven life-sized figures of Gen. Douglas McArthur and company in Leyte; the Benigno Aquino monument in Makati; the Juan Luna monument in Intramuros; and the yearly trophies of the Film Academy of the Philippines.
Caedo also dabbled in creating prosthetics that were used in Philippine cinema circa 1950s.
Mang Tasyo, as he is fondly called, was born on Aug. 14, 1907 in Batangas to Antonio Caedo and Genoveva Tanchangco.
He completed his primary education in Batangas. It was his uncle, Dr. Juan Tanchangco, who persuaded Caedo’s dad to send him to the University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts.
Caedo simultaneously enrolled at the Manila University (for his secondary degree) and at UP where he met Guillermo Tolentino, who was a member of the UP Faculty.
He became Tolentino’s assistant in all his landmark commissions like the UP Oblation, the Bonifacio Monument in Caloocan, and President Ramon Magsaysay’s statue at the Ramon Magsaysay Center.
Caedo is one of the most prolific Rizal sculptors of his time. Though his bust entry for the Jose Rizal National Centennial Commission only won third prize, it was this Rizal bust that was chosen by the Commission as the official token given to foreign diplomats and not the winning entry by Tolentino.
Caedo’s sculptural works on Rizal have even reached Wilhemsfeld, Germany and Chicago, USA. He died on May 12, 1990.
Danny Dolor will bring the exhibit to Batangas in January 2009 for fellow Batangueños, especially the youth to realize the greatness of their kababayan.