Is Jose Rizal’s ‘selfie’ authentic?

Everyone does a selfie or a picture one takes of oneself with a smartphone or webcam and shared via social media.

One particular selfie is currently a topic of discussion among historians, that of national hero, Jose Rizal. This particular selfie though is at least 141 years old and is a wooden bust of his likeness.

One of the prized possessions of businessman and art collector Celestino Palma III is a bust of Dr. Jose Rizal that the national hero supposedly created himself.

“I-compare mo lahat ng angle sa mga photos niya, sa iba’t ibang age at angle, na pareho ang hairline, jawline, and even the lips,” Palma said.

Carved at the bottom of the bust, made out of Baticuling wood, which is abundant in Paete, is the year 1879. At that time, Rizal was 18 years old.

Assistant Professor Emmanuel Jeric Albela, a longtime teacher of the course on Jose Rizal, believes that the bust was indeed carved by Rizal himself.

“I do believe that it was Rizal [who] carved the wooden bust. It was dated 1879 and according to some articles, they suspected that the bust was created by Rizal during his Christmas vacation in December 1879,” he explained.

However, history professor Dr. Augusto De Viana countered that it is unlikely the bust was made by the Filipino hero.

“Ang tingin ko, hindi ‘yan tunay, hindi ‘yan si Rizal... Rizal is more into molding ‘yung clay o wax, mas fine siya doon kasi meron siyang formal training kay Teodoro Romualdo de Jesus,” he said.

“[Noong] 1879, si Rizal ay nasa University of Santo Tomas at hindi ganyan ang hitsura niya. Definitely hindi siya 'yan,” De Viana added.

Watch this Stand for Truth report by Manal Sugadol to learn more about the history behind the bust.