The Historic legacy of Philippine National Hero, Dr. José Rizal and Josephine Bracken

For over 300 years, Spain maintained a brutal grip on the Philippines, enforcing its rule through systemic oppression, forced labour, and absolute control, where the daily reality for many Filipinos was marked by extreme cruelty, inhumane treatment, violent crackdowns, torture, and the execution of locals who dared to speak out, while many Filipinos longed for freedom and justice. Dr. José Protasio 'Rizal' Mercado y Alonso Realonda became a powerful voice against oppression through his novels, Noli Me Tángere and El Filibusterismo. Through his works, it awakened a nation, helped inspire the struggle for freedom, and he became the Philippines' National Hero.

Marie ‘Josephine’ Leopoldine Bracken, whose mother, Elizabeth Jane Bracken née McBride, was from Ballycarry, Northern Ireland, and whose father, James Bracken of Belfast, was an Irish corporal in the British Army stationed in Hong Kong, where Josephine was born. Josephine stood beside Rizal during his exile and remained committed to the Filipino cause after his execution by firing squad. She cared for wounded revolutionary soldiers, supported resistance efforts, and endured the hardships of war. Yet her contributions are often overlooked in history.

Through this collection, the artist seeks to advocate for Josephine Bracken's recognition as a hero of the Philippines and to pay tribute to Dr. Rizal through stories that have rarely been told. It is the artist's profound intention for these works not to be forgotten.

Each gemstone is purposefully selected not just for its beauty, but for the symbolism and narrative it brings to the artwork.

ALL ARTWORKS HAVE THE SAME FOLLOWING DETAILS:

Artist: Lili Marjorie H. Gualberto
Provenance: Courtesy of the Artist, United Kingdom
Estimate: Open for evaluation / Unique artwork
Exhibition History: Newry Library, Northern Ireland

Josephine Bracken: Took the World by Storm

Josephine Bracken: Took the World by Storm

Josephine Bracken: Took the World by Storm
The Portrait

The Portrait

The Portrait
Paradise in Alcatraz

Paradise in Alcatraz

Paradise in Alcatraz
The Last Curtain Call

The Last Curtain Call

The Last Curtain Call
Colour Has No Boundaries

Colour Has No Boundaries

Colour Has No Boundaries
The Josephine

The Josephine

The Josephine
The Qi

The Qi

The Qi

Josephine Bracken: Took the World by Storm

Contemporary Art with Embedded Gemstones

Josephine Bracken: Took the World by Storm

Medium: Mixed Media on Canvas with Tiger’s Eye Gemstone

Dimensions: 40x50 cm

Curatorial Statement:

This mixed-media canvas presents a nuanced interpretation of Josephine Bracken's life through a layered composition reflecting personal loss, endurance, and moral conviction. Born in Hong Kong in 1876, Bracken experienced profound hardship throughout her life, including the loss of her mother shortly after birth, a difficult childhood, the death of her infant son, and her marriage to Dr. José Rizal only hours before his execution. Despite these circumstances, she remained closely associated with the Philippine struggle for independence through her care for the wounded and her support of revolutionary efforts.

The Tiger's Eye serves as a symbolic material representing endurance, fortitude, and transformation, inviting renewed consideration of Josephine Bracken's historical legacy and the enduring impact of her life.

The Portrait

Contemporary Art with Embedded Gemstones

The Portrait

Medium: Mixed Media on Canvas | Acrylic, Copper Mesh Wire, and 24 ct. Gold Gilt on Capiz Shells

Dimensions: 30x30 cm

Curatorial Statement:

This mixed-media artwork presents a symbolic meditation on identity, belonging, and historical memory. A fluid turquoise ground evokes the Philippine seascape, while a woven copper mesh references the columnar basalt formations of Northern Ireland's Giant's Causeway, acknowledging Josephine Bracken's Irish heritage through her parents, who were both born in Northern Ireland. Three 24 ct gilded Philippine Capiz shells represent Dr. José Rizal, Josephine Bracken, and their infant son, Francisco, forming a symbolic family portrait absent from the historical record. Through these carefully considered materials, the work reflects shared identity, kinship, and remembrance across cultures and generations.

Paradise in Alcatraz

Contemporary Art with Embedded Gemstones

Paradise in Alcatraz

Medium: Mixed Media on Canvas, White Acrylic, Rose Quartz, Amethyst, Lapis Lazuli, Ruby, Labradorite, Shell, Mother of Pearl, Hessonite

Dimensions: 60x80 cm

Curatorial Statement:

This mixed-media work reflects the community established by Dr. José Rizal during his exile in Dapitan, where he and Josephine Bracken built a shared life. Symbolic gemstones reference education, healthcare, infrastructure, faith, and community, while white acrylic barriers evoke the restrictions imposed upon Rizal during exile. A cascading waterfall alludes to the wedding veil Josephine Bracken never wore, and Hessonite stones acknowledge the loss of their child. Through carefully layered symbolism, the artwork explores endurance, compassion, moral conviction, and the capacity to sustain hope amid political and personal adversity. The descending gemstones reflect the artist's personal belief in Divine Providence as a sustaining presence throughout the narrative.

Ref: Attached is a screenshot of the blueprint of Dr. José Rizal’s hand-drawn sketch of his property in Barangay Talisay—the premier historical landmark of Dapitan City, Philippines. Located approximately two kilometers northwest of the City Hall, this major historical site spans a more or less sixteen-hectare estate that Dr. Rizal purchased during his exile in the region.

Source: The governing officers of the Rizal Shrine graciously provided this blueprint.

Collection: Amelia Garcia Yulo, Philippines

The Last Curtain Call

Contemporary Art with Embedded Gemstones

The Last Curtain Call

Medium: Mixed Media on Canvas, Acrylic, and Amber Gemstone

Dimensions: 40x40 cm

Curatorial Statement:

This mixed-media artwork considers the final chapter of Dr. José Rizal and Josephine Bracken's relationship through a restrained and symbolic composition. Framed by painted teal curtains, the intertwined initials 'JR' acknowledge their union on the morning of their marriage, only hours before Rizal's execution. Embedded amber functions as a material metaphor for memory, preservation, and the passage of time, capturing moments of devotion and remembrance within its translucent depths. Through layered symbolism and carefully balanced materials, the work reflects fidelity, shared history, and the enduring significance of a relationship shaped by historical circumstance.

Colour Has No Boundaries

Contemporary Art with Embedded Gemstones

Colour Has No Boundaries

Medium: Mixed Media on Canvas, Acrylic, and Amber Gemstone

Dimensions: 40x40 cm

Curatorial Statement:

This minimalist mixed media artwork reflects on over 300 years of Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines, a period defined by oppression, suffering, and the exploitation of Filipino people on their own land. The plain white background represents humanity beyond racial divisions, prejudice, and colonial hierarchy, while the central brown axis symbolises the Filipino land, identity, resilience, and resistance.

At the heart of the composition is Josephine Bracken, represented through a deep red ruby head and a hessonite body and heart, symbolising courage, sacrifice, compassion, and unwavering commitment. Although she was of white Irish heritage and a foreigner in the Philippines, Josephine chose to stand with the Filipino people during their struggle against Spanish colonial rule. She cared for the wounded, supported revolutionaries, and became involved in the resistance movement. Josephine Bracken appears to be the only well-documented white woman associated with actively supporting the Filipino revolutionary cause against Spain, making her actions especially significant.

Surrounding her figure, aventurine cat forms represent love, care, and emotional healing, reflecting her role as a caregiver amid violence and conflict. These elements highlight that her identity was not defined by her race or background, but by her actions, compassion, and willingness to fight for justice alongside those who were oppressed.

Through this arrangement, the artwork presents Josephine Bracken as a symbol of humanity that transcends race and nationality. Her legacy represents courage, moral strength, and solidarity, showing that true heroism is defined not by where someone comes from, but by the choices they make and the people they choose to stand with.

The Josephine

Contemporary Art with Embedded Gemstones

The Josephine

Medium: UK wire, Fergusons Irish Linen, French satin, gold bullion (Hand & Lock), 18 ct gold beads, white sequins, seventeen (17) different natural real gemstones sourced from Gemmologists, and a Master Gemstone Cutter all from United Kingdom.

Gemstones (17)

Amazonite, Amethyst, Black Diamond, Carnelian, Strawberry Quartz, Emerald, Fluorite, Freshwater Pearl, Hessonite, Lapis Lazuli, Larimar, Opal, Peridot, Ruby, Sapphire, Turquoise, White Quartz

Dimensions: Approx. (Left) 15x10 cm; and (Right)16x10 cm

Curatorial Statement:

The Josephine is a meticulously handcrafted heirloom hair ornament by artist Lili Marjorie H. Gualberto, conceived as a singular work of wearable art and completed over a period of four (4) years. Its development involved thirty design iterations to refine both its construction and the symbolic selection of each gemstone.

The work is constructed using fine UK-manufactured copper wire, authentic Fergusons Irish Linen, sumptuous French satin from Pongees of London, gold bullion sourced from Hand & Lock—the historic Royal Warrant-holding embroidery house—and 18 ct gold beads. It is adorned with a carefully curated composition of natural gemstones, each selected for its symbolic resonance and visual significance.

The piece stands as a tribute to Marie 'Josephine' Leopoldine Bracken, born on 9 August 1876 in British Hong Kong. Through its materials and symbolism, the work reflects the interconnected histories of Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom that shaped her life. It acknowledges her support of the Philippine struggle for independence and invites renewed engagement with her contribution to Philippine history. Conceived as both a work of high jewellery and a contemporary artwork and original craftmanship, The Josephine explores themes of identity, cultural memory, and historical remembrance.

While the work is grounded in historical research and symbolic materiality, certain elements have been intentionally left open to interpretation, inviting viewers to engage in their own dialogue with the artwork.

The Qi

Contemporary Art with Embedded Gemstones

The Qi

Medium: Mixed Media on Canvas, Acrylic, and Amber Gemstone

Dimensions: Approx. 13x15x13.5 cm

Curatorial Statement:

The Qi is a symbolic sculptural artwork expressing the artist's interpretation of the inner strength that resides within every individual. It reflects the belief that true strength is forged through hardship and that every person possesses the capacity to rise above suffering while remaining true to their values.

The sculpture's materials reflect this journey of transformation: grounded in a granite stone from Northern Ireland, the work symbolises stability, endurance, and strength shaped by time and pressure, a copper nugget represents life energy, an emerald symbolises wisdom and renewal, a gold-gilt capiz shell signifies wealth and prosperity, and a fire opal embodies passion, conviction and the power to overcome life's greatest adversities. Bound together with sterling silver wire, representing unity and resilience, and set with a carnelian symbolising courage and ethical action, these elements create a unified expression of the enduring human spirit.

The sculpture is inspired by the life of Josephine Bracken, whose journey was marked by profound loss, sacrifice, and unwavering resolve. From the death of her mother at birth and a childhood of abuse to her relationship with Dr. José Rizal, whom she married only hours before his execution, Bracken endured extraordinary hardship. Yet she transformed suffering into compassion, caring for the wounded and supporting the Katipunan in the fight against colonial rule.

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