Saturday, May 21, 2011

My Trip to the City of Smiles: Balay ni Tana Dicang

After the Balay Negrense tour, we're off to Balay ni Tana Dicang, the ancestral house of the Lizares Family, Don Anton's family from his mother. The house was turned into a lifestyle art space and a museum. I didn't know that the "art scene" is way prevalent here, like that of the Cubao X--- but I knew that most of the good artist came from Bacolod, but doing art in Manila.

We were greeted by the machuca tiles, (I think the design of the tiles is still available until now, see code 82)---
---and by modern art on one of the saddle rooms converted into forum space for art talks, on both sides.
We went up on the beautifully crafted staircase by Pampanga artists, the mangagawa of the house we're all from another town mostly from Manila, Pampanga. It was finished 1883 but the construction took almost 10 years (if my memory serves me right!?). We were toured by a manang who lived there for 40 years as a servant and witness to history of the Balay.

Talking about preservation on my last entry, here is an example of a good conservation team--- The Balay ni Tana Dicang's luster is well kept. No dusty part in the house, it's like there are still people living in it, which doesn't make it scary as that of the aura of the Balay Negrense.
The Balay's insignia (See how it is not dusty and still shine, mukang pino-floor wax)
The furnitures speaks of lavish lives that the family enjoyed. Tana Dicang have 17 children, she raised by herself after she was widowed.
I am not sure of the other details but the second one from the left side is Don Anton's grandfather.
Porcelain "Hilamusan" still good as new.



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