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Journey of the Barong Tagalog, Addendum Part 13.4: 19th Century Spanish Artist Illustrations of Life in the Philippines

The illustrations featured here are the colorized and black and white versions of Tipos Filipinos - Indio Con El Gallo. Cocinero Indio. [Filipino Types - Native with Rooster. Native Cook.] (1872) by Francisco Ortego y Vereda and Tomás Carlos Capuz. Our descriptions of Ortego, Capuz, and La Ilustración Española y Americana, the magazine that published this piece, are in our previous installment 13.2.

Tipos Filipinos - Indio Con El Gallo. Cocinero Indio. by Capuz & Ortego - Two working class native Filipino men in work barongs

Both native men in this drawing are working class, and they are dressed for activity and functionality. They both wear work Barong Tagalog that are not translucent and made of a durable and likely breathable material. They also wear rolled up work pants suitable for walking conditions and salakot on their heads to protect them from sun and rain.

Tipos Filipinos - Indio Con El Gallo. Cocinero Indio. by Capuz & Ortego - Two working class native Filipino men in work barongs

The man on the left holds a live rooster, and his barong is untucked. It is unclear whether the rooster is for fighting.

The man on the right carries dead chickens likely ready for cooking. Since he is a cook, he probably tucked his barong in the front to prevent it from falling into and touching the food he will prepare.