Republic of the Philippines

SORSOGON STATE UNIVERSITY

Baribag Campus
ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE DEPARTMENT

Group 6 Course, Year & Section: BSCE-2C

Members:

Mark Miguel Consigna

Rea Angela Dealca
Reynard Derit
Maelene Encarnacion
Jella Mae Garilao
Marie Elizabeth Homo
John Lex Intacto
Matthew Paghubasan

Readings in Philippine History

WRITTEN REPORT

Works of Juan Luna & Fernando Amorsolo

Fernando Amorsolo
May 30, 1892 – April 24, 1972
“Grand Old Man of Philippine Art,”

The Philippine artist Fernando Amorsolo (1892-1972) was a portraitist and painter of rural
landscapes. He is best known for his craftsmanship and mastery in the use of light. Amorsolo was
the first-ever to be recognized as a National Artist of the Philippines.
 A. Background of the Author
Family Background
Fernando Amorsolo was born on May 30, 1892, in Paco, Manila. His parents were Pedro
Amorsolo and Bonifacia Cueto.His father quickly found work in Daet, Camarines Norte months
after Fernando’s birth, and the family lived there until his father died when Amorsolo was 11.
While he studied in a public school in Daet, his parents taught him to read and write Spanish at
home.
After his father’s death, the family moved back to Manila, where they stayed with one of
his uncles, Don Fabián de la Rosa, his mother’s cousin, who was also a Filipino painter. At the age
of 13, Amorsolo became an apprentice to De la Rosa, who would eventually become the advocate
and guide to Amorsolo’s painting career. During this time, Amorsolo’s mother did embroidery to
earn money, while Amorsolo helped by selling water color postcards to a local bookstore for 10
centavos each. His younger brother, Pablo Amorsolo, also became a painter.
During his lifetime, Amorsolo had a total of 20 children from two marriages and a
common-law-wife. In 1916, he married Salud Tolentino Jorge, with whom he had six children;
Salud died in 1931. He then met and lived with common-law wife, Virginia Guevarra Santos, with
whom he had three children, namely Manuel (who followed in his father’s footstep, with a degree
in Fine Arts from the University of the Philippines), Jorge and Norma before he met his would-be
second wife, Maria del Carmen. While they were still together, Virginia found an engagement ring
in one of Amorsolo’s drawers; she knew the ring was for Maria, that prompted her to leave his
house with her three children.
In 1935, Fernando married Maria del Carmen who gave him eight more children. Among
her daughters with her are Sylvia Amorsolo-Lazo and Luz. But while they were married and Maria
was giving birth to his children, Fernando had three more children with Virginia. His reputation
was growing as fast as his brood and his work was more than enough to provide for his rather large
family. Six of Amorsolo’s children became artists themselves.

Educational Background
In 1909, Fernando began attending the Art School of the Liceo de Manila, and soon after,
he enrolled himself at the fine arts school of the University of Philippines.
Upon graduating with medals in 1914, Fernando began his career as a commercial artists,
along with being at the part-time instructor at the University. However, three years later he grew
weary and packed his bags to move to Madrid, where he enrolled himself at the Escuela de San
Fernando. For the next seven months, Fernando immersed himself in giving free reign to his artistic
passions, visiting Museums where he would sit for hours sketching the great works of notable
artists, or walking down the streets of Madrid, sketching random people and experimenting with
the interplay of natural light and colors.
 After seven months, Fernando decided to visit New York, and there he encountered the
works of post-war impressionists and cubists, who left a deep and profound influence on his
aesthetic sense and artistic style. He returned to Manila, and established his own private studio. He
began experimenting light, and he developed the use of backlight, which is regarded as his greatest
contribution to the Philippine art of painting.

Religion, etc.
Amorsolo was a Roman Catholic Christian. He had painted several pieces related to his
religious background.

Paoay Church, 1934 Old Spanish church , 1957

Malate Church, 1963 Sunday Morning in the Población, 1953

B. Background of the Primary Source

Type of the Primary Source
Work of Art
An actual work of art, whether a painting or a building, is a primary source. A primary
source is “first-hand” information, sources as close as possible to the origin of the information or
idea under study.
A painting is a primary source since it provides an idea of what something might have
looked like at the time that the artist lived.
Parts or Chapters of the Primary Source
Elements and Style of Painting
Amorsolo was known as “The Painter of Philippines Sunlight” because his illuminated
landscapes displayed the magnificence of the country’s sunshine and portrayed traditional Filipino
customs, culture, fiestas, and ordinary occupations, such as rice harvesting and mango picking.
His pastoral works presented “an imagined sense of nationhood in counterpoint to American
colonial rule” and were important to the formation of Filipino national identity. Amorsolo’s use of
chiaroscuro—an Italian term for a backlighting technique meaning “light-dark” that involves the
interplay of light and dark—became his artistic trademark as well as his greatest contribution to
Philippine painting. In a typical Amorsolo painting, figures are outlined against a characteristic
glow, and intense light on one part of the canvas highlights nearby details. Only one painting by
Amorsolo is believed to include rain, as sunlight was his constant element. Art historian Eric
Torres describes Amorsolo’s sunlight paintings as “overflowing with sweetness and optimism.”
Others consider his countryside paintings to be the “true reflections of the Filipino Soul.”
Many Filipinos would recall Fernando Amorsolo’s gorgeously romanticized landscapes
drenched in heaven’s own light as the first paintings.

Locate where the primary can be found

The following museums and public collection include work by Amorsolo:
• The Ayala Museum (Manila)
Sunday Morning Going to Town (1958)

• The Central Bank of the Philippines (Manila)

 El Ciego (1928)

• The National Museum of the Philippines (Manila)

The Mestiza (1943)

• Lopez Museum
• GSIS collection
Maidens by a Stream (1961)

• Club Filipino collection

Dalagang Bukid (1936)
 • UCPB collection

Date Published
Amorsolo’s active years of painting were from 1908 – 1972.
His first success as a young painter came in 1908, when his painting Leyendo el periódico
took second place at the Bazar Escolta, a contest organized by the Asociacion Internacional de
Artistas.
Amorsolo worked until the last year of his life. Age was starting to catch up with him. He
was afflicted with diabetes and arthritis in addition to his heart condition. His eyesight was also
beginning to fail him and he had to undergo a cataract operation. In his later works, his
compromised vision led to wayward brush strokes of red and blue lines where a mound of earth
should be. Despite these challenges, the quality of his output remained at high levels and the
popularity of his work never waned.
The unfinished portrait featuring a then-unknown subject was Amorsolo’s last work when
he passed away on April 24, 1972 at the age of 79.

Determine the Intended Audience

The majority of Amorsolo's works are aimed at Filipinos. Through his artwork, he hopes
to strengthen the Filipino people's sense of national identity. The underlying qualities include
sentimentality because the scene is a well-known one to all Filipinos and the subject matter is
extremely Filipino.
The global audience was included to the list since his paintings are intended to enlighten
or provide value to an audience, particularly if they are foreigners. He or she would view the
artwork as illustrating the Filipino people's fortitude, tenacity, and way of life. In a nutshell, it
provides an overview of one facet of Filipino culture.
The never-ending demand from local and international clients suffocated Amorsolo’s
oeuvre in terms of subject variety and adaptability.

Purpose or Motive of the Source

Amorsolo’s luminous landscapes are most recognized for depicting traditional Filipino
customs, culture, fiestas, and professions. His pastoral works contributed to the development of
Filipino national identity by presenting “an imagined feeling of nationhood in opposition to
American colonial control.” He was classically schooled, and his goal was to “achieve his
Philippine interpretation of the Greek ideal for the human form.” Amorsolo shunned Western
notions of beauty in favor of Filipino values in his paintings of Filipina ladies, and he was fond of
modeling his models’ looks on members of his family.
Amorsolo was basically an idealist, seeking to depict the most beautiful parts of his beloved
nation and immortalize these moments on canvas for succeeding generations.

C. CONTENT ANALYSIS OF PRIMARY SOURCE

“True reflections of Filipino soul”, said by Amorsolo's supporters in regards to his more
than 10,000 pieces of artwork.

One of the prominent faces in the Philippine visual arts and a renowned National Artist is
Fernando Amorsolo or known as “The Painter of Philippines Sunrise” and “Painter of Rural
Landscape”. Amorsolo is believed to have painted exceeding 10,000 pieces of artwork including
paintings, sketches, etc. with the use of chiaroscuro which means light-dark schemes that
eventually became his artistic trademark that reflects and portrays ordinary Filipino customs,
cultures, maidens, fiestas, and occupations. Most of his paintings depict historical events,
politicians, beautiful maidens, landscapes, agricultural occupations, and common folks of the
Filipinos.
 For instance, Dalagang Bukid (Maiden in the Rice Field, 1936) is
one of the widely recognized iconic work of Amorsolo inspired by the image
of Maria Clara, the heroine in the novel Noli Me Tangere of Jose Rizal. It
showcases a medium-tanned skin beautiful woman wearing a traditional
“saya” conservative clothes which portrays Filipinas in the past in a rural
setting. The artist's remarkably thin and small brush strokes emphasize the
vibrant tropical sunlight in the Philippines which in turn emphasizes the native
https://salcedoauctio
ns.com/item/3219 ideal appearance of the maiden and the backdrop of lush and thriving flora.
The banga or clay jar that the young maiden carries represents her vulnerability, purity, and
innocence. At the same time, her captivating sweet smile epitomizes the optimism and faith amid
the trials and hardships of the maiden behind her agricultural work. Moreover, the subject in the
painting reflects the gentle character, natural charisma, look, and inherent stability of the Filipina
women which are the feminine ideal and epitome of beauty in Filipino culture.

Maiden with Fruits (1930) is a strikingly memorable

portrait of Fernando Amorsolo. Portraying a beautiful maiden in
purple organza dress, lit by sunlight of the golden hour, while
sitting in a nipa hut, with a bountiful harvest of local fruits inside
of a traditionally woven bamboo. This art depicts an ordinary life
of Filipina and idealized simplicity of Filipina beauty underlined
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/2
5162/lot/70/ with abundance and contentment.

Afternoon Meal of the Rice Workers (1939). Fernando

Amorsolo was inspired to create landscapes that depict the rural
life of his fellow Filipinos. As his daughter Mrs. Sylvia Lazo said
about his father, “He wanted to portray what he saw every day”,
and it is very evident in one of his masterpieces “Afternoon Meal
of the Rice Workers”. Fernando grew up in a province which is
why he was able to capture the ordinary or the provincial life of
https://flowerstwobees.wordpress.com/2
016/10/21/afternoon-meal-of-the-rice- his fellow citizens. This art was created in 1939 that portrays the
workers/
traditional life of Filipinos, wherein the people illustrated in the
painting are wearing traditional clothes of the Philippines, and a traditional way of preparing a
meal in Filipino culture. It features countryside imagery, warm sunlight, the beauty of nature, the
hardworking farmers, and the early lifestyles of Filipinos. This art shows how simple yet happy
Filipino life was way back then.
 Another masterpiece of Fernando Amorsolo is the Making
of the Philippine Flag (1955) during pre-colonial and Spanish
colonization times. This painting shows 3 women namely Marcella
Marino de Agoncillo (on the right side) refer as the mother of the
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/ Philippine flag, Lorenza and Delfina Herbosa de Natividad who is
zDOGgd
the daughter of Marcela, nieces of Jose Rizal. The women seems
to be inside the Bahay-kubo, an old traditional Filipino house, and showcases three women in a
traditional dress sewing the first Philippine flag tasked by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo for the new
republic. The artist used different color values such as contrasts of brown and yellow (representing
the beautiful sunny day) that made the art warm to the audience's eyes. Amorsolo also used red
and blue to make the artwork calm and serene. Moreover, he added rough texture in some parts of
the painting to make the art a more realistic scene. It is believed that Ferdinand Amorsolo made
this artwork to be a reminder for the Filipinos until future generations of how the Philippine flag
was made, how vital women are in the country, and how citizens show their nationalism towards
their motherland.

The Bombing of the Intendencia (1942). Who would have thought that a well-known
artist of landscapes, Filipino culture, and beautiful maidens can
also capture art showcasing a war subject matter? The bombing of
Intendencia was created during World War II. With the
devastating experience of Amorsolo during those times, he
decided to make art portraying the chaos that happened when the
https://lakansining.wordpress.com/201 Japanese bombed the Spanish government known as the
6/09/12/university-of-the-philippines-
quezon-city-the-art-of-world-war-ii-the- Intendencia located in Walled City (Intramuros). According to
u-p-vargas-museum-collection/
Amorsolo's daughter Sylvia Amorsolo Lazo, his father believed
that he must record what was happening around him, and that is
why he painted The Bombing of the Intendencia, wherein Amorsolo himself experienced this
devastating event, and enable to create an art that depict the happenings during that war. This art
shows people fleeing to reach safe zone, a family with careton, thick black smoke from an oil-
burning fire, a boat sinking, the Pasig river with blood-tinted waters, and the bombed Santo
Domingo Church (on the left). This art represents violence, and bloodshed, and will serve as a
reminder of a devastating historical event that happened in the Philippines during World War II.

The works of Fernando Amorsolo not only generally embody the hardworking Filipinos,
the simplicity and positiveness of Filipino culture, traditions, norms, and livelihood specifically
agricultural ideals in the past that reflect nationalism, and contributes to the formation of Filipino
identity, but also portrays historical events such as the dark periods of wars, wherein some of it
became a reference for Philippine history.

Bias

❖ Fernando Amorsolo's artworks, specifically in his maidens portraits, he painted Filipina

maidens from his perspective. He disregarded the western ideals of beauty, rather he is in
favor of the Filipina epitome of beauty, in which, maidens have rounded faces, lively eyes,
a blunt but firm and strongly marked nose, and doesn't have white complexioned skin nor
a dark brown skin, this characteristics for him is the real ideal of beauty.

D.Contribution and Relevance of the Document in Understanding the Grand

Narrative of the Philippine History

CAUSES OF THE PRIMARY SOURCE

Afternoon Meal of the Rice Workers, 1939

Fruit Pickers Harvesting Under The Mango Tree, 1939

Harvest, 1932
 Dalagang Bukid, 1936
1. Yearnings
His father died when Amorsolo was just eleven years old. Before he passed away, Pedro
made his wife promise to give Fernando a proper art education. The family moved to Manila in
hopes of finding better prospects. His mother’s cousin Don Fabian dela Rosa opened his doors to
the family. It was here that Amorsolo had his first real exposure to the art world.
Amorsolo lived in the Philippines at a difficult time. He yearned for the life he knew during
his early childhood in Daet as American influence crept into Filipino society in the larger cities.
This was evident in his artistic output, as he made it apparent that he had a preference for rural
areas where American culture had not yet fully permeated. His paintings would reflect a fondness
for the customs and way of life he had experienced during the Spanish era. His paintings were
adorned with images of fiestas, historic churches, and customs that were left over from the
Philippines’ previous colonial rulers.
2. Influences
Amorsolo stayed in Madrid for seven months, where he had the opportunity to view the
master’s works. He toured art museums and galleries to research the works of Joaquin Sorolla,
Monet, El Greco, Goya, Monet, Manet, Van Dyck, and Diego Velasquez. He developed his
abilities and mastered his technique there. He took a lot of inspiration from Diego Velasquez,
studying his masterful use of color, artistic technique, and excellent brushwork. Additionally, he
would take inspiration from Sorolla's method of using the sun to bring out the most dramatic effects
from the intensified sunny hues and dramatic contrasts between light and shade, and he would
build on that. Yet, despite his exposure to Western influences, Amorsolo retained his Filipino
consciousness.
3. Japanese Occupation
The Philippines got caught up in the second World War just when his career was at its height.
The artist and his family experienced the bleak reality of war because they were living in the center
of the Japanese-occupied city of Manila.
The artist’s family suffered during the war due to difficult circumstances. In the face of the
challenging economic situation, Amorsolo’s customer base diminished. Materials for painting
were difficult to come by. More significantly, Amorsolo lost his regular trips to the outlying rural
communities of Marikina, Antipolo, and other places where he painted his well-known landscapes.
Without access to his usual settings, his paintings started to get darker.
Pablo, the younger brother of Amorsolo and a talented artist in his own right, was labeled a
supporter of the Japanese during the war. In Antipolo, he was caught and killed by guerillas from
the Philippines. Amorsolo was burdened by his own tragedy as much as the destruction all around
him.
While it was obviously a horrifying period, as an artist himself he felt compelled to respond by
painting during the war. His canvases were dominated by depictions of tragedy and human
suffering. The ideal life that the reclusive artist had chosen to live in was shattered. Amorsolo’s
creations during this time fully captured the artist’s inner self. Amorsolo was deeply affected as
he watched his surroundings ravaged by war. The jubilant smiles in his paintings were gone, and
in their stead were signs of despair. The major light source changed too from the noon sun to
flames and embers from the burning ruins, providing a foreboding ghostly glow over the principal
subjects.

Defense of a Filipino Woman’s Honor, 1945

Maid of Bataan, 1946

RELEVANCE AND CONTRIBUTION TO THE NARRATIVE OF THE PHILIPPINE

HISTORY
1. His paintings commemorate the different traditions, cultures, and customs of the Filipino
People
At the end of the war, the Philippines gained its independence from the United States. As a
young republic, it was seeking its own national identity. And Amorsolo’s work was naturally seen
as the embodiment of a Filipino culture unique from that of the new country’s former colonial
masters. Amorsolo’s artwork showed the embodiment of Filipino culture such as:
• How naturally hardworking and happy people Filipinos are
• His paintings were able to embody the simplicity of Filipinos, in its daily lives and
beauty.
• He portray the men and women working in the fields on a hot summer day as a typical
Filipino occupation. His illustration shows how resilient and how cooperatively good
farmers Filipinos are.
• His painting was intended in show Filipino’s characteristic glow.
 2. He was in a position to record the period when the Japanese occupied the Philippines during
World War II through his artwork. He was able to portray the destruction that war does to
humanity but he also manages to inject a glimmer of hope among all the grief and despair.

• His firsthand experience gives way to the visual documentation of chaos and
torment. A few of its examples are (a) ‘The Burning in Manila' and (b) ‘The
Bombing of Intendencia'.

a b

• And was able to capture the Japanese troops in one of the worst massacres of World
War II including the slaughter of Filipino men, and sexual slavery of women, and
children in a tragedy.

3. The illuminated landscapes and backlighting techniques are used in his artworks. By then,
Chiaroscuro soon became his artistic signature and greatest contribution to Philippine
visual arts.

4. Fernando Amorsolo who was a portraitist and painter of rural Philippine landscapes was
considered the first national artist of the country.
Achievements:
• Many landscape paintings by Filipino painters, especially the early landscape works of
abstract painter Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, show Amorsolo’s influence.
• His wartime paintings are considered among his finest and were exhibited at Malacanang
Palace in 1948
• In a striking reversal of what he had done for San Miguel at the start of his career, his work
transcended the realm of art and became the visual identity of a young republic.

E. RELEVANCE OF THE DOCUMENT TO THE PRESENT

TIME

RELEVANCE OF FERNANDO AMORSOLO’S PAINTINGS IN THE PRESENT TIME

 Fernando Amorsolo’s paintings are relevant in the present time because of the following
reasons:

- He, as a primary source or an eyewitness of the Post-War Period, was able to show
what happened during that time by painting series of historical events. Some of his
paintings that featured these historical events are The Making of the Philippine Flag,
and WWII war scenes that portrayed the human suffering and wartime scenes along
with self-portraits and the Japanese occupation soldiers of the time. Thus, in the present
time, we were able to see through his paintings what actually tookplace during that
time. His paintings served as an evidence that these events happened in the past.

- Fernando Amorsolo’s paintings shows how hardworking Filipinos are, yet still happy
of what they are doing. With this, we can see in the present time that these characteristic
of Filipinos never changed. Filipinos in the present are still hardworking and enjoy
what they’re doing which is similar to the past.

- Amorsolo’s artworks promote a deeper understanding of the history during that time.
His paintings related to history provide us a visual of a certain historical event, wherein
we’re able to see where it occurred, what happened, or who are the individuals
involved.

- His paintings can give us a sense of what it was like to be alive during those times.

-
Juan Luna
October 23, 1857 – December 07, 1877

A. Background of the Author

Family Background

- Juan Novicio Luna was born on October 23, 1857, in the town of Badoc, Ilocos,
Philippines, to parents of Don Joaquin Luna de San Pedro y Posadas and Doña
Laureana Novicio y Ancheta. Juan came from a large family, and he was the third of
seven children. Juan’s interest and passion for art was instigated and fuelled by his
brother, Manuel Luna, who himself was a very talented and skilled painter.

Educational Attainment

- Juan began attending the Ateneo de Manila, where he received his Bachelor of Arts
degree, and later, he went on to enroll himself at the Escuela Nautica de Manila, and
became a sailor. However, becoming a sailor by profession did not dissuade Juan
from giving free reign to his artistic passions and pursuits to perfect his skill and
talent, and thus, he began taking lessons from the notable and influential painting
instructor, Lorenzo Guerrero. Later, he enrolled himself at the Academia de Dibujo y
Pintura, where he benefited from the tutelage of renowned Spanish artist, Agustin
Saez. In 1877, Juan decided to travel to Europe where he would complete his training
and education in the art capitals of Europe. He enrolled himself at the Escuela de
BellasArtes de San Fernando.

Other Information

- Juan Luna is widely considered as the finest and most influential painter of
Philippines, who works are showcased in some of the most prestigious museums of
his native country, including the National Museum and the Lopez Museum. Some of
his most iconic and famous works include, ‘Mestiza Lady at her Dresser’,
‘Tampuhan’, ‘Roman Ladies’, and ‘The Happy Beauty and the Blind Slave’ among
many others. Despite his commercial success and great talent, Juan’s life is
overshadowed by the dark controversies he became involved in because of his jealous
disposition and accusations at the loyalty of his wife, whom he accused of having an
affair with Monsieur Dussaq, a surgeon. On September 23, 1892, in a blinding rage of
jealousy, Juan murdered his wife, his mother-in-law, along with causing serious
injuries to his brother-in-law. Juan met his own death in 1899, at the age of 42.

B. Background of the Primary Source

Works of Juan Luna

Spoliarium

- Type of Primary Source: Painting

- Place to be Found: National Museum of Fine Arts in Manila
- Date Published: 1884
- Intended Audience: Filipino Masses during the rule of Spaniards
- Purpose/Motive:
- It illustrates two dead gladiators being dragged by Romans at the center. On the left,
scavengers eye the dead men’s possessions while a Roman beside them raises a fist in
protest. A woman mourns a loved one on the right side while an old man searches for
a body amid the smoky haze. The depiction of Roman cruelty in the painting has been
interpreted as an allegory for the state of the Philippines under Spanish rule.

The Parisian Life

- Type of Primary Source: Painting
- Place to be Found: National Museum of Fine Arts in Manila
- Date Published: 1892
- Intended Audience: All
- Purpose/Motive:
- Luna's critics say that the painting is a rich portrayal of contemporary norms put upon
women. They believe that the woman in the cafe is a prostitute who is the subject of
the male gaze. Back in the day, Parisian women who did not conform to the
traditional role of a femme honnête (respectable woman) were deemed to be in the
sex trade. Another interpretation is from the museum director of the Government
Service Insurance System (GSIS) Eric Zerrudo who likened the woman's figure to the
archipelago of the Philippines. The last interpretation is quite biographical, the
painting hints at Luna’s personal and marital problems. It is said that at the time when
Parisian Life was painted in 1892, Luna's personal life was in a bad state. He was
struggling with personal tragedies including the recent death of his infant daughter
and his growing suspicion that his wife was having an affair with a French doctor.

Tampuhan
- Type of Primary Source: Painting
- Place to be Found: National Museum of Fine Arts in Manila
- Date Published: 1895
- Intended Audience: All
- Purpose/Motive:
- Critics of Tampuhan say that lovers' quarrel is not really the main theme of the
painting. Rather, it shows a fiesta or special occasion outside, being watched by the
man from the inside. The red cloth hanging on the ledge of the window in front of the
"lovers' balcony" implies that an event is occurring.

Portrait of a Lady
- Type of Primary Source: Painting
- Place to be Found: National Museum of Fine Arts in Manila
- Date Published: 1885
- Intended Audience: All
- Purpose/Motive:
- Portrait of a Lady is perhaps the most controversial painting of Juan Luna because of
its contested history. While many believe that the subject was inspired by Paz, others
contradict this idea as the anatomical depiction do not fit her physical descriptions.
There were also some accounts pertaining to the succeeding owners of the said
painting having experienced similar crimes of passion after acquiring the said
painting.

Death of Cleopatra
- Type of Primary Source: Painting
- Place to be Found: Museo del Prado, Madrid Spain
- Date Published: 1881
- Intended Audience: All
- Purpose/Motive:
- Painted during a time of increased national consciousness, The Death of Cleopatra
not only served as a representation of a colonized people standing up against their
colonizer, but also brought to attention the ability of Filipino artists, and particularly
Luna himself, to surpass their European contemporaries.

The Blood Compact

 -
o Type of Primary Source: Painting
o Place to be Found: Malacañang Palace
o Date Published: 1886
o Intended Audience: All
- Purpose/Motive:
- According to Prof. Sinardet, The Blood Compact hence symbolizes the shared destiny
between Spain and the Philippines as equal allies of the same social status, meanwhile
erasing the reality of the violence of Spanish Conquista and racial prejudices against
the natives.

C.CONTENT ANALYSIS OF PRIMARY SOURCE

Juan Luna was one of the many great Filipino painters of Philippine history. He was a master of
the classical style, as seen by his works depicting characters in dramatic stances and achieving
classical equilibrium in his paintings.

Spoliarium

Anyone who has visited the National

Museum of Fine Arts in Manila has undoubtedly
seen the exquisite Spoliarium, an award-winning
piece that Luna presented to the famous Exposición
Nacional de Bellas Artes in 1884. It is the biggest oil
painting on canvas in the Philippines, measuring 4.2
by 7.6 meters.
 The painting Spoliarium by Juan Luna
https://cdn.tatlerasia.com/tatlerasia/i/2021/10/20134725-
13150935-leadlunaopening2-cover- depicts the gladiators' harshness, injustices,
2000x1351_cover_1800x1216.jpg
sufferings, and helplessness. It depicts a Roman
Empire scenario in which men carry the bleeding
bodies of slave gladiators from the large and majestic stadium into an unknown darkness, where
more horribly slain gladiators are taken. Those cheering on the left side of the artwork were the
most unpleasant. They are the malignancies of human civilization, waiting for the gladiators to die
so they can take their spoils. They not only did not object to such entertainment, but they actually
passionately supported it for selfish motives. The Gladiators represent the powerlessness that
mankind experiences simply because they lack authority.

Wherein, the most common interpretation of Luna’s artwork was the portrayal of the
difficulties of the Filipino populace under Spanish occupation. It shows how the people of the
Philippines struggled during Spanish rule. Its dark hues depict the atrocities committed by
Spaniards against Filipinos. Another aspect is that the colors used in the artwork depict grief,
mourning, anguish, suffering, and defeat against the mighty Spaniards, since even Filipino lives
are being sacrificed to honor the will and names of the Spaniards. We were harassed, discriminated
against, denied our freedom, silenced, and made to feel horrible in our own country. People
screamed out for peace and their rights, and they were plainly in anguish, yet they continue to drag
us down, make us feel helpless, and spread their evil.

Showing how people's freedom and rights were violated. This picture is a constant
reminder of how essential freedom is to everyone. The relevance of constantly looking back on
this artwork to recollect our history, to learn, and to be more positive about our future lives. Juan
Luna aims to instill in us not only our freedom but also the value of equality in society and the
respect that each and every one of us must gain. and also to better ourselves and society in order
to attain peace and harmony. Furthermore, this artwork might act as a wake-up call to every
Filipino.

Overall, Juan Luna's spolarium focuses on the exploitation of human rights during Spanish
control, and he made this image to express his patriotism and loyalty to our country. Furthermore,
he produced such harmonic interactions between different hues, resulting in a gorgeous artwork
that delivers an outstanding message. It shows the inner political and socio-cultural ideas of a great
Filipino painter, such as Juan Luna. As a result, the Filipinos' political, moral, and social lives had
become inextricably linked.

“I see squandered power. I see a lot of misunderstanding. There are spectators and followers, but
no leader. I see light being dragged into the shadows.”-MMC

The Parisian life

Luna's 1892 oil on canvas impressionist

painting, The Parisian Life or Interior d'un Cafi, The
painting, which depicts an interior scene in a café with
a full-body image of a woman seated prominently on a
banquette and three men sitting down on a couch in the
far left corner, is one of the impressionist masterpieces
created by the artist during his Paris sojourn from
October 1884 to February 1893.

According to Luna's detractors, the painting is

https://cdn.tatlerasia.com/tatlerasia/i/2021/10/201348 a vivid depiction of current conventions imposed on
52-40230911022-953ca85ae0-o_cover_1200x805.jpg women. They suspect the woman at the cafe is a
prostitute who is being watched by men. Women in
Paris who did not adhere to the customary role of a femme honnête (respectable lady) were
considered to be sex workers back in the day. The strictness of their dress code convicts them into
being the modest lady-like figure which many of them were forced into wearing.
 As he has portrayed the way of life in France, reside in here and began to studied the culture
in Europe . He is accompanied by Dr. Jose Rizal and Ariston Bautista which is also wandering the
Europe like a normal European would be. They replicated the conceptions of masculinity and
civility among the how they dressed using European attire. However, their brown features reveal
their racial identity despite their civilized middle-class bodies. Rizal, Luna, and Bautista are
considered as Filipino patriots. Luna is well-known for his unflinching depiction of women.
According to several historical reports, Luna used to hire prostitutes and utilize them as models
for his paintings when he was still in Paris, where he made this artwork.

As They are fixated on a woman whose mere presence at a café is an erotic encounter in
and of itself. While Luna's self-portrait shows fatigue, Bautista registers the sense of wonder and
enjoyment of a voyeur "in a fairly libidinous way," tilting his head toward the sexually objectified
cocotte who furtively recognizes his gaze. Luna, Rizal, and Bautista showed their unheroic
composure. As Luna revealed to the three men the hypocrisy and deception of his surroundings,
as well as the general fear of the prostitute,

Unlike nationalist historiography and its great, developing narrative, the formation of the
new "Filipino" consciousness was uneven, ambiguous, and problematic. Furthermore, the yet-to-
be "Filipino" was already in peril. Although the prostitute embodied the threat of sexual corruption,
moral decay, and physical mortality in Parisian life, the ilustrados' underlying terror was generated,
in general, by women and, metaphorically.

Tampuhan

Tampuhan (sulking) by Luna is a classic 1895 oil

on canvas impressionist painting depicting a Filipino man
and a lady facing each other's backs after a lovers' dispute.
The male is seen looking out the window of a Capiz shell
window, while the woman in a Maria Clara gown is staring
at the floor.

According to Tampuhan's detractors, the argument

between the lovers is not the painting's major focus.
Rather, it depicts an outside fiesta or great celebration
being seen from the inside by the man. The scarlet cloth
https://cdn.tatlerasia.com/tatlerasia/i/2021/10/20
135308-469501145-ce659603eb-o-
hanging on the window sill in front of the "lovers'
1_cover_1078x929.jpg balcony" suggests that an event is taking place.

But it is strongly believed that the title itself already explains the meaning behind the
creation. A Filipino couple who appear to be at odds at the window The two lovers are sulking or
feeling "tampo" after a quarrel or misunderstanding, and I noted in the picture that the male used
to sit close to the girl, but after a disagreement, he rose up and glanced out the window. The girl's
arm rested on the wood while the guy was leaning on it, and it has a greater surface area than the
wood panel the guy is resting on, so it's lower, which aesthetically suggests the guy is cheating,
and when he's looking out the window, he's starring at the three females outside the window.

The medium that Juan Luna used in the painting was tempera paint. Tempera paint, also
known as "egg tempera", is a permanent fast-drying painting medium consisting of colored
pigment mixed with a water-soluble binder medium. It gives a light ambiance with a spurt of
uneasiness because of how calm the picture was. Luna’s Tampuhan is a partly genre and partly
interior piece. In contrast to interiors is landscape painting, which often depicts natural scenery
and the countryside. Landscapes can be realist, romantic, classical, or expressionist because they
depict a mysterious, exotic, or awe-inspiring scene with a hint of the divine spirit in nature. They
can also be subjective, expressive of inner mood with nature viewed through the emotion's
reflecting lens.

Portrait of a lady
 A dark and tragic tragedy is said to be associated with Luna's
Portrait of a Lady, and it has to do with the artist's forbearance towards
his wife, Maria de la "Paz" Pardo de Tavera, who many think is the
woman in the picture. At the age of 29, Luna married the love of his
life, Paz, at the age of 29, only two years after his Spoliarium made him
famous. The couple moved to France, where Paz gave birth to their son
Andres.

Spectators have critiqued the piece as dark and inhuman. As

they have depicted the message of murder portrayed by the uneasiness
of the painting.
https://images.summitmedia- The speculations of the others about the piece's hidden message
digital.com/esquiremagph/imag
es/2017/01/20/portrait.png were in fact true. Luna and Paz's marriage was far from perfect, as
evidenced by the heinous crime perpetrated in their Paris house by the
artist. Overwhelmed by emotions, Luna murdered his wife and mother-
in-law, Julia Gorricho. Meanwhile, Paz's brother, Felix Pardo de Tavera, was critically wounded
and fled the scene. It wasn't long before European publications replicated the heinous tragedy that
had befallen Luna and his wife's family. Luna's jealousy over a specific Monsieur Dussaq is
thought to have motivated such a murder.

Because of its contentious past, Juan Luna's Portrait of a Lady is one of his most divisive
works. While many feel that the figure was inspired by Paz, others argue that the anatomical
portrayal does not correspond to her physical descriptions. There were additional tales of
subsequent owners of the same picture committing similar crimes of passion after acquiring the
said painting.

“From jealousy, an art has been born. Initiating the near end of a tenure of an artist and a lover. “-
MMC

Death of Cleopatra

The ancient Egyptian queen's demise is shown

in Luna's Death of Cleopatra. Cleopatra's lifeless body
is seen on the bed, while her maid collapses on the floor.
The other maid is on the edge of collapsing.

Smoke from a bulb in the royal rooms hovers

over them, indicating that the queen has recently passed
away. A barely discernible snake tail slithers away at
the foot of the pillar—Cleopatra was slain by the bite of
a deadly snake.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e
Luna drew inspiration for the composition of
c/Cleopatra%2C_por_Juan_Luna_%28Museo_del_Prad
o%29.jpg the picture from Plutarch's description of her life in his
Parallel Lives series. This series depicts the lives of
Greek nobles from ancient periods.

At Spain's national exhibition in 1881, the painting got a Second Class medal, the best artistic
achievement received by any Filipino at the time. The Death of Cleopatra had not been shown
since 1887, this was until the National Gallery of Singapore displayed it in 2017.

Cleopatra is a political statement as the Egyptian queen's refusal to be captured alive by the Romans
may be seen to represent the Philippines defiant stand against being enslaved by its colonizer. This
translates to the connotation of "The Death of Cleopatra not only represented a colonial people
rising up to their colonizer, but it also highlighted the capacity of Filipino artists, notably Luna,
to outperform their European peers.

The Blood Compact

It was one of three paintings given to the Spanish

invaders by Luna, the other two being Don Miguel Lopez de
Legazpi, which was destroyed during the Philippine-Spanish
conflict, and Governor Ramon Blanco, which became part of
the Lopez Museum collection.

The interpretation of Luna, wishes to emphasize the

two's close and equal friendship as they gravely lift their
blood-filled cups following the traditional rite of sandugo.
https://cdn.tatlerasia.com/tatlerasia/i/2021/ Legazpi is pictured without his helmet and participating in
10/20140048-320px-the-blood-compact-by-
juan-luna_cover_320x270.jpg
sandugo, indicating sensitivity and submission to local
culture, but Sikatuna is depicted with complex armour, strong
stance, muscular arms with tattoos, indicating the presence of a great pre-Hispanic Bohol
civilisation.

An interpretation by Prof Sinardet began by setting The Blood Compact in its historical
and sociopolitical context. Using the two opposing narratives of the Spanish Conquest (Conquista)
- the major phenomena shown in the painting: the Black Legend (Leyenda Negra) that demonizes
Spanish Conquistadors and the Golden Legend that idealizes the Conquista. This is illustrated by
including elements of barbarism and civilisation, the portrayals would portray the Conquistadors
as either savage for destroying an already civilised native culture, or noble for benevolently taming
the barbarian locals. The Blood Compact therefore symbolizes the common destiny of Spain and
the Philippines as equal allies of the same social position, while simultaneously obscuring the
reality of Spanish Conquista brutality and racial biases against locals.

In general, the works of Juan Luna mostly utilizes impressionism, realism, and romanticism
art style. As shown above most of the works contains dark themes such as representations of death,
love quarrels, and sex offenders which also have been determined by the several articles and
publications. It is unfortunate that his career nearly ended in an unfashionable manner. Though it
happens, Juan Luna’s contribution to the world of art cannot be disregarded and forever be stored
in the history.

Biases in Juan Luna’s Artworks

Juan Luna's artworks are firmly committed to raising Filipinos' national consciousness. As
Luna is reputed to be a nationalistic person, he would put his talent and effort into raising
awareness of how the Philippines suffered under the Spaniards' hegemony. He also believes that
the Filipinos' capabilities could potentially outshine the talents of the Europeans, so he competes
on the brightest stages in Europe, also using European figures to gain more favor in the European
crowd.

D. Contribution and Relevance of the Document in Understanding the Grand

Narrative of the Philippine History
 Juan Luna had the option to pass on huge number of message in an extremely restricted
space in a generally straightforward subject. Despite the fact that his personality was not brave for
he has many character flaws. However at that point he utilized his incredible ability to propel the
Filipino cause. This work of art and other visual expressions can be use as an essential source to
persuade our understudies to do move for our country. The message of this painting can be a reason
while a basic consistence of the new typical can be the outcome. And from this the turning point
that was cause by primary source are;

1. Juan Luna is considered as visual historian. In his work, he chronicle the rich history of the
Philippines and give the younger generation a new perspective on past events.

2. The innate power of visual images helped shape the consciousness of young people who would
grow up to lead the nation. This is most evident in Luna’s paintings, especially the Spoliarium.

3. Luna's paintings reflect the desire to search for and capture that elusive thing we call national
identity.

4. His work tells a narrative of the lost stories of the severe ordeal of the Filipino nation during the
Spanish colonization. It rises above the self-righteous portrait drawn by the Western colonizers.

5. The paintings provided a distinctive picture and persona of a pen struggle against reason and
idealism, which were coupled with justice, fanaticism and cases of prejudice. Moreover, the pieces
had significant interpretations of the sociological situations in the Philippines.

E. RELEVANCE OF THE DOCUMENT TO THE PRESENT TIME

Novelty
Juan Luna is perhaps the most famous and celebrated artist in the history of the Philippines. He is
renowned for his captivating and dramatic paintings that showed his dynamic and unique style that really
stood out back at the time until now. He is also one of the first few international celebrities that highlighted
the talent of Filipinos. His first major art achievement was at the Exposicion Nacional de Bellas Artes (The
National exhibition of Fine Arts) in Madrid back in 1881 where his iconic painting, "The Death of
Cleopatra," received a silver medal at the National Exhibition of Fine Arts. He would then on regularly be
a part of the said event and contribute several other masterpieces such as the “Battle at Lepanto” and the
most notable one being the “Spoliarium” which won the first of three gold medals. It was a sensation at the
time, other than winning the highest honor at the event the painting also made the newspapers in several
foreign countries. Truly remarkable as he is the first and perhaps only Filipino achieve this since the said
event is no longer held today.

Applicability
The paintings of Juan Luna have shown the tragic experiences that the people of the Philippines
experienced back then (Spoliarium), which to this day can still be seen. The oppression received from the
bad ruling of the Spaniards can be seen today as the oppression that common folk receive from bad
governance. This just shows that back then until the present time, Juan Lunas painting(s) can still be applied

Memory
Juan Luna’s works are truly masterpieces that have been already embedded in our history. His
works, with his unique style of realism and romanticism, have remarkably shown various tragic imagery
that truly captivates and garners the attention and imagination of the people today. The most historical and
easily remembered one being the Spoliarium. It is remembered as an accurate depiction of what was the
state of our society back then during the Spanish rule. As we take a look at the painting, it depicts a message
that makes us remember how violated the rights and freedom of every Filipino back then was. Lunas work
has very much become a tool of awareness.

Effect
Lastly, Juan Lunas works have also greatly affected our society back then ‘til now. The
“Spoliarium”, perhaps then most influential, suited the demands of the Filipino people's sense of patriotism.
It helped inspire the people of the Philippines to rebel against the political tyranny of their Spanish
occupiers.

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