Francia’s frescoes and masterpieces adorn the ceilings of Anda, Jagna, Balilihan, Loboc, Dauis, Loay and the other towns and municipalities of Bohol, his exhaustive collection entailing a significant portion of his life to complete. With his loaded paintbrush, Francia narrated the story of Christ’s passion and brought glorious scenes to the fore. He depicted captivating prophets, interpreted faith and religion, implied meanings and imparted insights, utilizing recurring themes and motifs, simplistic symbols and imagery. He braved the dizzying heights to unleash his unbridled vision and talent. I wondered where the church’s commission ended and the painter’s expression and account began.
Staring at the ceiling treasures of Bohol, the largest works of art in the Philippines, brought forth a glimpse of heaven and a taste of the divine inspiration that touched Francia. And fluency took its leave.
In 2013, I had the pleasure of meeting Guy Custodio in Albuquerque, Bohol. The famous artist was working on restoring the ceiling frescoes of the church in Santa Monica at the time. Francia’s original paintings required rehabilitation because they had severely degraded. With the help of locals he had trained to assist him, he meticulously and patiently worked on each of the original sheets that comprised the ceiling.
Following a local artist’s botched restoration of the Anda church in 2022, Guy Custodio and the RCG team, under the direction of the National Museum of the Philippines, are currently working hard to consolidate the original paintings.