The Philippines Through European Lenses: Late 19th Century Photographs from the Meerkamp van Embden Collection
A low-priced volume offers a priceless view of the Philippines under colonial rule
A low-priced volume offers a priceless view of the Philippines under colonial rule
Client
Ateneo de Manila University Press
Format
Book
Year
2009
Dimensions
7.75 x 9 in
Ateneo de Manila University Press
Format
Book
Year
2009
Dimensions
7.75 x 9 in
The cover, featuring a portrait of P.K.A. Meerkamp van Embden.
Anthropologist Otto van den Muijzenberg presents the Philippine photography collection of P. K. A. Meerkamp van Embden, a Dutch businessman who later served as honorary consul of the Netherlands from 1889 to 1927. Muijzenberg stumbled upon the collection, comprising twelve albums in all, after requesting for a portrait of the consul from Meerkamp's grandson.
The goal was to make the book accessible, in terms of both price and aesthetics, even to readers outside the academe. Simple and spaciously arranged type was used throughout to complement the photographs.
The goal was to make the book accessible, in terms of both price and aesthetics, even to readers outside the academe. Simple and spaciously arranged type was used throughout to complement the photographs.
The hardbound edition is covered in gray material, with silver foil stamping on the cover.
The cover spread, with french flaps.
To keep the photography book affordable, one-color printing was used throughout. Whenever possible, photos were reproduced without cropping, showing the uneven, torn and/or creased edges. This gives the reader the feeling of browsing through a family album containing the actual artifacts.
The frontispiece, featuring a portrait of a Filipina (captioned "Tagal," Meerkamp Album IV).
Part of the table of contents pages.
Detail, fading and overlapping type treatment for the chapter openers.
Sample chapter openers.
Sample spreads.
The years covered by the photographs witnessed the increasing integration of the Philippines into the world economy,the 1896 Revolution, and the violent change of sovereignty from Spanish to American. The photographs are thus significant as a Dutchman's perspective on a watershed period in Philippine history. The subjects are varied: the people, streets and homes of Ermita,where Meerkamp resided; the abaca trade; Romblon and Cebu. An added bonus are photographs of the people sof the Cordillera by Dr. Alexander Schadenberg. The text that ties together the ensemble was written by Dr. Otto van den Muijzenberg, a Dutch anthropologist who has spent years doing fieldwork in the Philippines and has a deep knowledge of its culture and history.
Fernando N. Zialcita
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Ateneo de Manila University
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Ateneo de Manila University
Images of the Cordillera people, from the travels of Dr. Schadenberg.
Recognition
Winner
Gintong Aklat Awards 2010
Social Science Category
Winner
Philippine National Book Awards 2009
Design Category
The Philippines Through European Lenses is available in paperback and hardcover at the Ateneo de Manila University Press, and in selected bookstores in the Philippines. It is also available online though the Ateneo Press website. In Europe, it is available at the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV) Press in Leiden, The Netherlands.
Winner
Gintong Aklat Awards 2010
Social Science Category
Winner
Philippine National Book Awards 2009
Design Category
The Philippines Through European Lenses is available in paperback and hardcover at the Ateneo de Manila University Press, and in selected bookstores in the Philippines. It is also available online though the Ateneo Press website. In Europe, it is available at the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV) Press in Leiden, The Netherlands.
The author, Dr. Otto van den Muizjenberg, at the book launch last 27 January 2010 at the Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City, Philippines. Also in the background (left) is Ateneo de Manila University Press director Maricor Baytion.
