Philippine E-Journals

The Life and Works of Pedro Casanave

Nereo C. Lujan

 

Abstract:

Casanave is a very familiar name among historical researchers in Iloilo as most early 20th century photographs of the city and province bear his mark. But little is known about the photographer. This paper is an initial attempt at reconstructing the biography of Pedro Casanave, an American photographer and artist who lived in Iloilo City from 1905 until he and his family were arrested by the Japanese in 1942 during World War II and brought to internment camps. It shows how his story is intertwined with the history of the Philippines, starting from his arrival as part of the American occupation forces during the Philippine-American War and his appointment as treasurer of the provinces of Samar and Negros Occidental, to his internment at the Santo Tomas Internment Camp and the Los Baños Internment Camp, from where he and his family were rescued, and their return to the United States.