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<img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources/lorenzo-guerrero-2.webp" alt="Lorenzo Guerrero" />
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(Lorenzo Guerrero)
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He was <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/705/today-in-philippine-history-october-25-1857-juan-luna-was-born-in-badoc-ilocos-norte" class="news_link">Juan Luna</a>'s painting teacher. 


He was the second of fourteen children of Leon Jorge Guerrero and Clara Leogardo. His father was in the employ of the Spanish government in the Philippines as warehouse keeper (almacenero de la administracion de rentas estancadas) in the Pasig district from 1858, but he left the 

service rather than to swear allegiance to the newly constituted Spanish Republic upon the overthrow of Queen Isabela in 1868. He studied Latinity 

in the College of San Jose. One of his early preceptors was Father Jose Ma. Guevara, a Filipino priest later deported to the Marianas for alleged 

complicity in the Cavite Revolt of 1872. 



Lorenzo's artistic leanings were manifested early. At the age of 16 he was already giving lessons in drawing. Dr. <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1190/today-in-philippine-history-june-19-1861-dr-jose-p-rizal-was-born-in-calamba-laguna" class="news_link">Jose Rizal</a> described him as a 

"master who had virtually taught himself". After the death of the Filipino pioneer painting teacher, <a href="https://kahimyang.com/articles/2941/damian-domingo-known-as-the-father-of-philippine-painting-was-born-on-february-12-1796" class="news_link">Damian Domingo</a>, a number of Spanish 

artists were imported from the Peninsula. Guerrero studied with such newcomers as Cortina and later, Valdes. How long he came under them can not be 

ascertained. Probably it was not long, for soon these teachers were succeeded by Agustin Saez. Guerrero, together with another Filipino painter, 

Lorenzo Rocha y Ycaza, was already an assistant (ayudante de naturales) in the Academia de Dibujo y Pintura located in Cabildo Street, 

Intramuros, as early as 1858. When Saez resigned in 1891, the latter ably succeeded him, with Guerrero still as assistant. 


At the same time he gave drawing lessons in the girls' schools of Santa Isabel, La Concordia, and later in the Instituto de Mujeres. 

He must have had a busy daily program, for he also gave private lessons in the homes of students. He started before six o'clock in the morning and 

worked till noon, and after lunch was off again until seven or eight in the evening. Most of his private pupils were girls, daughters of prominent 

Manila families, both from the Spanish community and the Filipino upper class. Of the latter were: 


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Pacita Paterno, 
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Asuncion Zamora (Mrs. Maximino Paterno), 
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Consuelo Roxas, 
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Juanita Zamora (Mrs. Pablo Ocampo), 
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Pacita Longos, 
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Margarita Roxas (Mrs. Andres Soriano), 
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Maria Icaza (Vda. de Velasco), 
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Micaela Rosales (Vda. de Marcaida), 
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Pilar Lontok, 
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Antera Pantoja, 
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Clara and Arsenia Tambunting, 
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Consuelo Hasañas, 
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Corinta and Clemencia Ramirez (Clemencia later became his wife).
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Among his male pupils were:


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Manuel Espiritu, painter; 
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Anselmo Espiritu, sculptor; 
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<a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1090/today-in-philippine-history-april-25-1888-juan-arellano-was-born-in-tondo-manila" class="news_link">Juan Arellano</a>, architect; 
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Alfredo Guerrero, physician and painter and his nephew; 
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Miguel Reyes, artist and photographer; and 
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Eulogio Garcia, sculptor. 
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In his house he gave lessons to a few, and talked on art to students attending the College of Nuestra Señora de Guia, a school directed by 

his sister-in-law, Corinta Ramirez. His house soon became a sort of a club in which he was the dominant figure. Toribio Antillon, Ramon Martinez, 

Vicente Rivera y Mir, and others visited him often and received much encouragement from him as did <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1114/today-in-philippine-history-may-5-1869-fabian-cueto-de-la-rosa-was-born-in-paco-manila" class="news_link">Fabian de la Rosa</a>. <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1060/today-in-philippine-history-april-7-1871-epifanio-de-los-santos-was-born-in-malabon" class="news_link">Epifanio de los Santos</a> y Cristobal, the critic, also frequented his place. 


Juan Luna, after disagreeing with Agustin Saez, studied under him. Luna's bold and apparently heedless brushwork did not find favor with his 

Spanish teacher, but Guerrero saw in the young hand the nerves of genius, a strong individuality which only needed guidance and encouragement. When 

he could teach him nothing more, Guerrero advised Luna to go to Europe. Two paintings of the great painter done when he had established his fame firmly, hang in the <a href="https://kahimyang.com/articles/3019/today-in-philippine-history-may-30-1873-fernando-maria-guerrero-was-born-in-manila" class="news_link">Fernando Maria Guerrero</a> home in Manila, attesting to the gratitude which the former student felt for the teacher. 


Lorenzo was married to Clemencia Ramirez, about 1868. The girl's father objected to the union, and when affairs were getting serious, sent his 

daughter to reside with her maternal uncle, then parochial priest at Mariquina (Marikina). Thither the enamored artist went, disguised in priest's 

robes. There were ups and downs in his romance but the wedding did took place. During the ceremony a dirge was tolled instead of wedding bells. 

But this did not discourage the artist. He wrote later in remembrance: 

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"When you talk of marriage in Manila, employment and wealth are everything to the whites; and among the natives, race and money."

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Of the marriage, nine children were born; but only three reached maturity. Manuel S. Guerrero became a physician and was known for his literary inclinations as well as for his scientific contributions, Fernando Maria Guerrero, considered the prince of Filipino poets in Spanish, and a 

daughter, Araceli Guerrero. In his youth the older Guerrero showed a predilection for poetry and himself composed verses, only a few fragments of 

which have appeared in print. They are of varied lengths and include religious poems, lyrics, and dedicatory poems. There are also several playlets 

and dialogues. 


Later, Lorenzo's doggerel was to blossom into Fernando Ma. Guerrero's impulsive heroic and lyric lines, just as his primitive brush strokes found 

solidity of form and vigor in the canvases of Juan Luna. 


"Don Lorenzo", as he was lovingly called, was not only a great teacher to whom men as famous as Juan Luna and Fabian de la Rosa are indebted, but 

also a most appreciative critic of the literary and musical arts. His counsels not only contributed to form the taste of his children, Fernando and 

Manuel, but inspired Jaime C. de Veyra and Epifanio de los Santos.

November 4, 1835: Lorenzo Guerrero was born in Ermita