Tagalog Royal Couple (Naturales - Tagalos)
Illuminated manuscript leaf, painting on paper • Unknown Chinese artist (Sangley) or Filipino artisan commissioned by a Spanish colonial officer (likely Gomez Perez Dasmariñas or his son Luis)
Style & Movement
Spanish Colonial / Early Modern Manuscript Illumination (Boxer Codex style)
Medium & Technique
Watercolor, gouache, and gold leaf (or gold pigment) over ink on paper
Creation Period
circa 1590
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 12 x 8 inches per page; Portrait format
Subject Description
A man and woman of the Tagalog 'Maginoo' (noble) class. The man wears a red 'kangan' (tunic) and 'bahag' (loincloth or trousers variant) with a 'putong' (head cloth) and a gold-hilted kris. The woman wears a long robe and shawl. Both are heavily adorned with gold necklaces, armlets, and leg bands, signifying high social rank and Philippine pre-colonial wealth. The border features flora, birds, and animals (possibly a civet cat).
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good (Digital view of historical manuscript). Slight foxing, yellowing of paper, and minor pigment fading typical of late 16th-century works.
Estimated Market Value
Institutional/Priceless. As part of a unique historical codex, individual value is not market-determined, but the manuscript is worth millions of dollars.
Auction Estimate
N/A (Institutional asset). Estimated $5,000,000 - $10,000,000 for the entire codex if ever sold.
Provenance History
Acquired by Professor C.R. Boxer in 1947; subsequently held in the Lilly Library, Indiana University. Originally part of a manuscript sent to Spain to describe the inhabitants of the Philippines and East Asia.
Art Historical Significance
Foundational visual record of pre-Hispanic and early Spanish colonial Philippine society. It is the most significant visual document of the Philippines' indigenous nobility and their aesthetics before westernized dress became standardized.
Notable Features
The use of real gold pigment/gold leaf to highlight jewelry; the bilingual/transcultural aesthetic combining Spanish administration needs with local or Sangley artistic execution.
Condition Issues
Paper acidification, minor edge wear, fading of organic pigments, and some oxidative darkening of certain pigments.
Conservation Recommendations
Climate-controlled archival storage (50% RH, 20°C), low-UV lighting (under 50 lux), and deacidification of paper fibers where necessary.
Collector Notes
A couple portrayed in 1590's Early Spanish colonial period of the Philippines, draped in gold