The labrador, or farmer, was central to the agricultural economy of the colonial Philippines. After Spanish contact, plow and draft-animal techniques spread through the islands, and farming became the foundation of rural Filipino life, eventually making the Philippines a rice exporter across Asia.
This watercolor depicts an indio labrador, the native Filipino farmer, shown in working dress before his land. The figure typically appears in an indigo work barong with rolled knickers and a wide-brimmed salakot to shield against sun and rain. The subject belongs to the tipos del país tradition, a genre of nineteenth-century Philippine watercolors depicting local inhabitants by costume, occupation, and social type. These works served as visual records of Philippine society and were widely collected as souvenirs by foreign traders in colonial Manila.
This print preserves a record of the farmer whose labor sustained Philippine society throughout the colonial period.
Available as a fine art print
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