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Gallery · Every image

The exhibition
in pictures.

Portraits, family photographs, present-day sites, book covers, and documents. Each caption names what the image is—and what it is not.

44 imagesArchival and present-dayCredits on every caption

The Rizal Monument in Manila photographed in 2024 — The same monument in 2024: national memory is also a maintenance project. Ernest Malsin, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Look closely.
Then look again.

An archival photograph is not a neutral window. Its date, maker, and purpose matter. Present-day photographs of memorials show how a nation remembers now; they are not evidence of the past they commemorate.

44 images shown.

Archival bust portrait of José Rizal, facing left — The project’s primary archival portrait of Rizal, from the Library of Congress.Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-43453. No known restrictions on publication.

Entrance to Manila’s walled city, photograph cataloged circa 1899 — Entrance to the walled city near the Pasig River, cataloged circa 1899. It postdates Rizal’s death.J. D. Cress, c. 1899. Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-60796. No known restrictions.

Digitized cover of The Social Cancer, 1912 English edition — The 1912 Derbyshire translation of Noli Me Tangere, digitized by Project Gutenberg.Project Gutenberg ebook 6737. Public-domain edition.

Digitized cover of The Reign of Greed, 1912 English edition — The 1912 Derbyshire translation of El Filibusterismo, digitized by Project Gutenberg.Project Gutenberg ebook 10676. Public-domain edition.

José Rizal in a studio portrait, seated and facing slightly left — José Rizal, studio portrait from the 1890s.Unknown photographer, 1890s. Public domain.

Painted portrait of a young José Rizal, 1883 — A young Rizal in 1883, around the time he left for Europe.Portrait dated 1883. Public domain.

1891 portrait of José Rizal by Telesforo Sucgang — Rizal in 1891, the year El Filibusterismo appeared in Ghent.Telesforo Sucgang, 1891. Wikimedia Commons, CC0.

Portrait of Teodora Alonso y Quintos, Rizal’s mother — Teodora Alonso y Quintos, Rizal’s first teacher and strongest early influence.Reproduced in Pascual Hicaro Poblete, Buhay at Mga Ginawa ni Dr. Jose Rizal (1909). Public domain.

Portrait of Francisco Rizal Mercado, Rizal’s father — Francisco Rizal Mercado, the family’s tenant farmer and patriarch.Reproduced in Pascual Hicaro Poblete, Buhay at Mga Ginawa ni Dr. Jose Rizal (1909). Public domain.

Monument and tomb of Paciano Rizal in Los Baños, Laguna — The Paciano Rizal monument and tomb in Los Baños. Paciano supported his younger brother’s studies and later joined the revolution.Ramon FVelasquez, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Portrait of Josephine Bracken in traditional dress — Josephine Bracken, Rizal’s companion in Dapitan and the subject of continuing historical debate.Austin Craig, Lineage, Life and Labors of José Rizal (1913). Public domain.

Portrait of Marcelo H. del Pilar — Marcelo H. del Pilar, editor of La Solidaridad and a leading voice of the Propaganda Movement.Unknown photographer, c. 1890. Public domain.

Group portrait of José Rizal, Marcelo del Pilar and other Filipinos in Madrid — Rizal (centre) with Marcelo del Pilar and other Filipino expatriates in Madrid.Unknown photographer, late nineteenth century. Public domain.

Portrait of Graciano López Jaena — Graciano López Jaena, orator and first editor of La Solidaridad.Jose N. Sevilla, Mga Dakilang Pilipino (1922). Public domain.

The surviving photograph of Andrés Bonifacio — Andrés Bonifacio, founder of the Katipunan. The only surviving photograph of him.Chofre y Cia, 1896. Public domain.

Portrait of General Antonio Luna — Antonio Luna, physician, writer, and general of the Philippine Revolution.Unknown photographer. Public domain.

Portrait of Ferdinand Blumentritt — Ferdinand Blumentritt, the Austrian scholar and friend with whom Rizal exchanged a long correspondence.Onze Musici (1898). Public domain.

Portrait of Dr. Máximo Viola — Dr. Máximo Viola, Rizal’s friend and the financier who helped publish Noli Me Tangere.Portrait via Geni / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Portrait of Apolinario Mabini — Apolinario Mabini, constitutional adviser to the First Philippine Republic.Unknown photographer, before 1903. Public domain.

Pencil sketch of Ferdinand Blumentritt drawn by José Rizal — A pencil sketch of Blumentritt by Rizal, a small trace of their friendship.José Rizal, before 1896. Public domain.

The Rizal Monument at Luneta Park in Manila — The Rizal Monument at Luneta, the memorial landscape that grew around the execution site.Bondyag112665, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The Rizal Monument in Manila photographed in 2024 — The same monument in 2024: national memory is also a maintenance project.Ernest Malsin, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Grounds and trees of Rizal Park in Manila — Rizal Park today. The open grounds invite commemoration and everyday public life.Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The Rizal Shrine in Calamba, Laguna — The Rizal Shrine in Calamba, a reconstruction of the family house where Rizal was born.Ralff Nestor Nacor, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Saint John the Baptist Parish Church in Calamba, Laguna — Saint John the Baptist Parish Church, Calamba. Rizal was baptized here in 1861.Ralff Nestor Nacor, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

A structure at the Rizal Shrine in Dapitan City — The Rizal Shrine in Dapitan, where exile became a period of medical practice, teaching, and community work.QuianCagandahan, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

José Rizal Park and Shrine in Dapitan City — The park and shrine at Talisay, Dapitan. Rizal lived here from 1892 until 1896.Francisco M. Pajares, Jr., CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Facade of Santiago el Mayor Parish Church in Dapitan — Santiago el Mayor Parish Church, Dapitan: the town’s older institutional landscape.Project Kisame, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Stone walls and gateway of Fort Santiago in Manila — Fort Santiago, Intramuros. Rizal was held here before his trial and execution.Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The main building of the University of Santo Tomas — The University of Santo Tomas, where Rizal studied philosophy and medicine.Gerrard Patricio, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Ateneo de Manila University campus in Quezon City — Ateneo de Manila today. Rizal’s Ateneo was the earlier Intramuros school, not this modern campus.Patrick Roque, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Aerial view of Heidelberg’s old town and castle — Heidelberg: the old town and castle above the Neckar, where Rizal studied ophthalmology in 1886.Schlurcher, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Cover of the 1899 Philippine edition of Noli Me Tangere — The first Philippine edition of Noli Me Tangere, published in Manila in 1899.Public-domain edition; photograph by Guanyin2, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Facsimile cover of El Filibusterismo, 1891 — A facsimile of the 1891 El Filibusterismo cover. The novel was printed in Ghent.José Rizal, 1891. Public domain.

Historical painting of the execution of José Rizal at Bagumbayan — Manuel Arias Rodríguez’s 1896 painting of the execution at Bagumbayan. A later artistic reconstruction, not a photograph.Manuel Arias Rodríguez, 1896. Museo del Ejército, Madrid. Public domain.

Early twentieth-century postcard of the Luneta in Manila — An early twentieth-century postcard of the Luneta, before the present monument was completed.Postcard, early twentieth century. Public domain.

Cover page of the constitution of La Liga Filipina — The cover of La Liga Filipina’s constitution, 1892.José Rizal, 1892. Public domain.

Handwritten regulations of La Liga Filipina by José Rizal — Rizal’s handwritten regulations for La Liga Filipina.José Rizal, 1892. Public domain.

National Historical Commission marker for La Liga Filipina — The 2015 National Historical Commission marker for La Liga Filipina in Manila.Andre Ryan Maceda, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Ophthalmologist business card of Dr. José Rizal from Hong Kong — Rizal’s ophthalmologist business card from Hong Kong, a document of his working life in exile.José Rizal, late nineteenth century. Free Art License.

Hand-drawn family tree made by José Rizal — A family tree drawn by Rizal in Dapitan, from Austin Craig’s 1913 biography.José Rizal, 1890s. Public domain.

Memorial plaque for José Rizal in Ghent — The Rizal plaque in Ghent, marking the city where El Filibusterismo was printed.Paul Drieghe, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Historical marker associated with Mi Último Adiós — A historical marker connected to “Mi Último Adiós,” the poem Rizal is said to have hidden in a lamp before his execution.Christian Sangoyo, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Monument to Graciano López Jaena in Jaro, Iloilo City — The López Jaena monument in Jaro, Iloilo City.Ralff Nestor Nacor, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Images are reproduced at a maximum of 1400 pixels on the long edge. Captions and credits are repeated on the References page, which also links each file page and license.