FILIPINO-AMERICAN WAR: EARLY NATIONAL PHILIPPINE FLAGS.

SOLD TO BENEFIT THE ACQUISITION FUND OF THE FINE ARTS MUSEUMS OF SAN FRANCISCO. LOTS 3 TO 12.
FILIPINO-AMERICAN WAR: EARLY NATIONAL PHILIPPINE FLAGS.
c. 1899-1902.
Two early "Countryside-made" forms of the National Flag of the Philippines. 680 x 850 mm; and 640 x 1270 mm. Each hand-sewn from cotton, with a white triangle at hoist and horizontal blue over red bars, the white triangle with sewn-in central 8 pointed star and 3 smaller 4 pointed stars at the 3 corners. One flag with the blue faded to grey, edges slightly frayed, the second with some dark discoloration to the flag, both lightly stained. Cloth ties at hoist to secure to a wooden stick.
Provenance: The smaller flag signed in ink by a guerilla fighter, "Andres Aga Araya"; Both from the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

A fine historic pair of "countryside made" Philippine National flags, likely captured by American Forces during their campaign in the Philippines, 1899-1902. The first Philippine Revolution began in 1896 against Spanish control, and a Declaration of Independence was declared in June 1898, although not recognized by either Spain or America. In the Treaty of Paris in December 1898, signed to resolve the Spanish-American war, the Philippines was ceded to America, and the insurrection under Emilio Aguinaldo, who had almost complete control of the country, turned instead on American Forces.
Whilst Aguinaldo was in exile in Hong Kong he had designed a new National flag of the Philippines, using Cuba's flag as inspiration. It is likely that these smaller flags were carried into battle by nationalist insurgent groups, who carried out a guerilla war against American forces. The Zaricor Collection Ca. has two similar national flags made in the field, one formerly part of the distinguished San Francisco collection of Philippine flags, formed by Michael Henry de Young. The first American General Otis was replaced in 1900 by General Arthur MacArthur, and he placed the Philippines under martial law, deported Filipino leaders to Guam, and attacked the guerilla groups without mercy. American soldiers acquired these flags as mementos of the campaign.