Letras y figuras (Spanish, "letters and figures") is a genreofpainting pioneered by José Honorato Lozano during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines. The art form is distinguished by the depiction of letters of the alphabet using a genre of painting that contoured shapes of human figures, animals, plants, and other objects called Tipos del País popularized by Damián Domingo. The letters depicted spell out a phrase or a name, usually that of the patron who commissioned the work.[1] The paintings were done with watercoloronManila paper. The earliest example of this art form dates from 1845; the latest existing specimens were completed during the latter portion of the American period in the 1930s during the administration of the Commonwealth of the Philippines.[2]
In 1995, an album of José Honorato Lozano's paintings were auctioned at Christie’s at the starting bid of £300,000.[2]
