No Way to Earn a Living

Although he liked art and loved to draw, the young Federico was growing up in a world where people felt one could not earn a living, more so sustain a family, by just being a full-time artist. In the Philippine postcolonial American period what was respected were white-collar professions particularly in the fields of medicine, accountancy, and law. Federico graduated from high school in 1949 planning to follow in his father’s footsteps in the legal profession.

Hence, he took a pre-law course in pursuing an Associate in Arts degree at the San Beda College. Being the intense, hard working person that he was, Federico decided to cross-enroll at the University of the Philippines’ School of Fine Arts in Diliman where he studied painting. Classes at the UP were held in the mornings and afternoons while classes at the San Beda college were conducted in the evening.

Among his teachers in painting were National Artist Fernando Amorsolo, Toribio Herrera, Irineo Miranda, and Constancio Bernardo. Among his upperclassmen then were Philippine Presidential Medal of Merit Awardee Juvenal Sanso, Araceli Dans, and Rodolfo Ragodon. National Artist Jose Joya was his classmate. Federico also took up courses in sculpture with

National Artist Guillermo Tolentino as his professor. In his sculpture courses, another National Artist Napoleon Abueva was his classmate.

The sideline income he made from his paintings and sketches allowed Federico to continue his passionate pursuit of his art. As such, he had the resources to take taxi rides from his painting classes in Diliman all the way to San Beda in Mendiola every day. In 1952, after graduating with an Associate in Arts degree from San Beda, Federico took up law proper at the Ateneo College of Law in Padre Faura St., Manila, successfully graduating from his law studies with a diploma in law in 1955.

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The Maestro 16.5 x 12 in | Oil on Canvas Board Private Collection

While pursuing his law education at the Ateneo, Federico kept on with his art. The Jesuit priest, Father Thomas Canon, believed in his talent and continued motivating him. Seeing his potential, Fr. Canon provided him with a studio on campus. It was also at the Ateneo that he was able to attend art appreciation lectures that internationally renowned abstractionist Fernando Zobel would give at the graduate school.

Living Room Studies

16 x 25 in | Oil on Canvas Board Private Collection

Even while in law school, Federico kept busy participating in art competitions or putting up exhibitions and garnering numerous awards. In 1953, he won First Prize at the University of the Philippines Art Competition. The following year in 1954, he won First Prize at the annual Shell Art Competition for a painting titled Roadside Squatter. Also in 1954, Federico won Second Prize at the UP Annual Art Exhibition in Manila.

He started formally exhibiting his works in 1953 during which he held his first one-man exhibition of oil paintings at the San Beda College in Manila. In 1954, two more exhibitions followed – one at the Centro Escolar University in Manila, and another major one in October titled Exhibition of Paintings of Federico A. Aguilar at St. Benedict’s Hall, San Beda College. For this exhibit, Federico showed a total of 50 paintings of which 24 were oil on canvas works.

Pages 14 - 15

Apartment in Barcelona

24 x 20 in | Oil on Canvas Board

Evening View from the Artist’s Window

23.5 x 28.5 in | Oil on Canvas Board

Year 1976

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Christian

14 x 10 in | Pencil on Paper

Year 1965

Private Collection