History

On 9 August 1930, a jury, created to select the best design honoring the Supremo of the Katipunan, met. The designs were entered under pseudonyms. The winning entry was under the pseudonym of Batang Elias – Tolentino was Batang Elias. He won the design for the Bonifacio Monument and was granted a commission for its installation. He completed the figures for the monument in 1932. Then, he sent the figures to Italy for bronze casting. In 1933, he completed the Bonifacio Monument.

apoleon V. Abueva

The Lady (Teodora Valenzuela Tiglao)

May 2011-- Guillermo Estrella Tolentino was born in Malolos, Bulacan on 24 July 1890. He was the fourth of eight children. His father was a tailor, whose only artistic trait is the love of playing the guitar. Guillermo or Memong, as his family called him, inherited this artistic skill. Moreover, Memong became one of the three best guitar players in the Philippines during his time.

Pasig City Museum
Before his formal schooling, he used to mold horses and dogs in clay, out of the materials from the banks of the fishponds in town. He studied at the Malolos Intermediate School. From fifth to sixth grade, his teacher was Mrs. H.A. Bordner who also gave him his first instructions in drawing.

Pasig City Museum
Shortly, he went to Malolos high school for two years. Then hearing from his cousin that there is an art school in Manila, he transferred to the Manila high school in Intramuros. In the afternoons, he attended classes at the School of Fine Arts, University of the Philippines. He took drawing classes under Vicente Rivera. Later on, he decided to take lessons in sculpture too, under Vicente Francisco. Soon, he was more interested in scuplture than in painting.

Pasig City Museum
In 1911, while he was still in high school, he made a group of drawing of Rizal, Burgos, Antonio and Juan Luna, Regidor and others. His Tata Pepe, with whom he was living, succeeded in interesting Severino Reyes