CARLOS "BOTONG" FRANCISCO
Carlos Modesto "Botong Villaluz Francisco (November 4, 1912 - March 31, 1969) was a Filipino muralist from Angono, Rizal. Francisco was a most distinguished practitioner of mural painting for many decades and best known for his historical pieces.
He was one of the first Filipino modernists along with Galo Ocampo and Victorio C. Edades who broke away from Fernando Amorsolo's romanticism of Philippine scenes. According to restorer Helmuth Josef Zotter, Francisco's art is a prime example of linear painting where lines and contours appear like cutouts.
The poet of Angono, single-han-dedly revived the forgotten art of mural and remained its most distinguished practitioner for nearly three decades an panels such as those that grace the City Hall of Manila, Francisco tuned frag-ments of the historic past into vivid records of the legendary courage of the ances-ors of his race.
Botong is also known for discovering the Angono Petroglyphs, which are considered the oldest prehistoric artwork. This paleolithic art consists of 127 human and animal figures that are estimated to date back to 3000 BC. Presidential Decree 260 was issued in 1996 and declared the petroglyphs a national cultural treasure. The National Museum established a museum on its site.