14 Facts About Napoleon Abueva

Napoleon "Billy" Veloso Abueva was known as the "Father of Modern Philippine Sculpture" Through Proclamation No 1539.

Napoleon Abueva was proclaimed National Artist for Sculpture in 1976 when he was 46, making him the youngest recipient of the award to date.

Napoleon Abueva assumed the name Napoleon at the age of six, when as a student at the St Joseph Academy in Tagbilaran, one of the nuns first called him Napoleon after Napoleon Bonaparte.

Napoleon Abueva graduated in high school at the Rafael Palma College in 1949.

Napoleon Abueva earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture at the UP School of Fine Arts in 1953 as one of the second batch of Fine Arts students who moved from the old campus in Padre Faura to Diliman.

Napoleon Abueva was mentored by fellow National Artist for Sculpture Guillermo Tolentino.

Napoleon Abueva used almost all kinds of materials for his sculptures such as hard wood, adobe, metal, stainless steel, cement, marble, bronze, iron, alabaster, coral and brass.

Napoleon Abueva was the first Filipino artist to mount a one-man exhibit at the Philippine Center in New York in 1980.

Napoleon Abueva's Sandugo or Blood Compact shrine in Barangay Bool, Tagbilaran City is a landmark at the site of the first international treaty of friendship between Spaniards and Filipinos.

Napoleon Abueva was married to Cherry Abueva, a psychiatrist, and had three children: Amihan, Mulawin, and Duero.

Napoleon Abueva was confined at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Quezon City for pneumonia from December 31,2017, until his death on February 16,2018.

Napoleon Abueva's death was announced by News5 Reporter Maeanne Los Banos on the radio program Balita Alas Singko on Radyo5.

Napoleon Abueva's remains were then brought to his final resting place at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Exhibitions of Napoleon Abueva's work were held in Cebu Plaza.