PHILIPPINE

HISTORY

David Autencio
II- BSBAMM

Prof. Rich Lloyd Gito

Juan Luna y Novicio

Juan Luna y Novicio (October 23, 1857 December 7, 1899) was a Filipino painter, sculptor
and a political activist of the Philippine Revolution during the late 19th century. He became one
of the first recognized Philippine artists.
His winning the gold medal in the 1884 Madrid Exposition of Fine Arts, along with the silver win
of fellow Filipino painter Flix Resurreccin Hidalgo, prompted a celebration which was a major
highlight in the memoirs of members of the Propaganda Movement, with the
fellow Ilustrados toasting to the two painters' good health and to the brotherhood between Spain
and the Philippines.
Regarded for work done in the manner of the Spanish, Italian and French academies of his
time, Luna painted literary and historical scenes, some with an underscore of political
commentary. His allegorical works were inspired with classical balance, and often showed
figures in theatrical poses.
Born in the town of Badoc, Ilocos Norte in the northern Philippines, Juan Luna was the third
among the seven children of Don Joaqun Luna de San Pedro y Posadas and Doa Laureana
Novicio y Ancheta. In 1861, the Luna family moved to Manila and he went to Ateneo Municipal
de Manila where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree. He excelled in painting and drawing,
and was influenced by his brother, Manuel Luna, who, according to Filipino patriot Jos Rizal,
was a better painter than Juan himself.

Luna enrolled at Escuela Nautica de Manila (now Philippine Merchant Marine Academy) and
became a sailor. He took drawing lessons under the illustrious painting teacher Lorenzo
Guerrero of Ermita, Manila. He also enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts (Academia de Dibujo y
Pintura) in Manila where he was influenced and taught how to draw by the Spanish
artist Agustin Saez. Unfortunately, Luna's vigorous brush strokes displeased his teacher and
Luna was discharged from the academy. However, Guerrero was impressed by his skill and
urged Luna to travel to Cubao to further pursue his work.
In 1877 Manuel and Juan Luna traveled to Europe, where Manuel studied music and Juan
painting. Juan entered the Escuela de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, where he befriended the
painter Don Alejo Vera. Luna was discontented with the style of teaching in school and decided
that it would be much better to work with Vera.
Vera brought him to Rome for some of his commissions, and Luna was exposed to the art of
the Renaissance painters. It was in 1878 when his artistic talents was established with the
opening of the first art exposition in Madrid which was called the Exposicin Nacional de Bellas
Artes (National Demonstration of Fine Arts). From then on, Luna became engrossed in painting
and produced a collection of paintings that he exhibited in the 1881 Exposition.
In 1881, his La Muerte de Cleopatra (The Death of Cleopatra) won him a silver medal and came
in second place. Luna's growing reputation as an artist led to a pensionado (pension)
scholarship at 600 pesos annually through the Ayuntamiento of Manila. The condition was that
he was obliged to develop a painting which captured the essence of Philippine history which
would then become the Ayuntamiento's property.
In 1883 Luna started the painting demanded of him by the Ayuntamiento. In May 1884, he
shipped the large canvas of the Spoliarium to Madrid for the year's Exposicin Nacional de
Bellas Artes. He was the first recipient of the three gold medals awarded in the exhibition and
Luna gained recognition among the connoisseurs and art critics present. On June 25, 1884,
Filipino and Spanish nobles organized an event celebrating Luna's win in the exhibition. That
evening, Rizal prepared a speech for his friend, addressing the two significant things of his art
work, which included the glorification of genius and the grandeur of his artistic skills.
Luna developed a friendly relationship with the King of Spain and was later commissioned by
the Spanish Senate to paint a large canvas which was called the La Batalla de Lepanto (The
Battle of Lepanto) He moved to Paris in 1885 where he opened his own studio and befriended
Hidalgo. A year after, he finished the piece El Pacto de Sangre (The Blood Compact) in
accordance with the agreement he had with the Ayuntamiento of Manila. Depicted in this piece
was the blood compact ceremony between the Datu Sikatuna, one of the lords in Bohol island,
and the Spanish conquistador Miguel Lpez de Legazpi. It is now displayed in the Malacaan
Palace. He also sent two other paintings in addition to the one required; the second canvas sent
to Manila was a portrait of Lpez de Legazpi reconstructed by Luna from his recollection of a
similar portrait he saw in the hall of the Cabildo, and the third was of Governor-general Ramn
Blanco y Erenas.

In 1887, Luna once again traveled back to Spain to enter in that year's Exposition two of his
pieces, the La Batalla de Lepanto and Rendicin de Granada (Surrender of Granada), which
both won in the exhibition. He celebrated his triumph with his friends in Madrid with Graciano
Lpez-Jaena delivered Luna a congratulatory speech. Luna's paintings are generally described
as being vigorous and dramatic. With its elements of Romanticism, his style shows the influence
of Delacroix, Rembrandt, and Daumier.
On December 8, 1886, Luna married Maria de la Paz Pardo de Tavera, a sister of his friend
Felix and Trinidad Pardo de Tavera. The couple traveled to Venice and Rome and settled in
Paris. They had one son, whom they named Andrs, and a daughter nicknamed Bibi who died
in infancy. Luna was fond of painting his wife. However, the jealous Luna frequently accused
Paz of having an affair with a certain Monsieur Dussaq. Finally in a fit of jealousy, he killed his
wife and mother-in-law and wounded his brother-in-law, Felix, on September 23, 1892. He was
arrested and murder charges were filed against him.
Luna was acquitted of charges on February 8, 1893, on grounds of temporary insanity; the
"unwritten law" at the time forgave men for killing unfaithful wives. He was ordered to pay
the Pardo de Taveras a sum of one thousand six hundred fifty one francs and eighty three
cents, and an additional twenty five francs for postage, in addition to the interest of damages.
Five days later, Luna went to Madrid with his brother, Antonio Luna, and his
A few years later, in October 1889, the artist travelled to southeast Spain, Murcia, as contained
in the news release at the time, was provisionally installed in Moratalla where he made a portrait
of the daughter of Juan Tamayo, an eminent man in this town. Passing through Murcia gave two
portraits of the Queen Regent had made to the Provincial and City Council, respectively, and
one of these was acquired by the provincial body for five hundred seventy-five pesetas installed
on top of the Hall of Sessions of the Provincial Palace and then going to the presidential office in
April 1932, one year after the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic, enters as a deposit
Museum of Murcia along with several official portraits of royal iconography, being included in the
different inventories and catalogs without sufficient data or references, just a terse "DJ.LUNA"
as artistic attribution.
In A few years later, in October 1889, the artist travelled to southeast Spain, Murcia, as
contained in the news release at the time, was provisionally installed in Moratalla where he
made a portrait of the daughter of Juan Tamayo, an eminent man in this town. Passing through
Murcia gave two portraits of the Queen Regent had made to the Provincial and City Council,
respectively, and one of these was acquired by the provincial body for five hundred seventy-five
pesetas installed on top of the Hall of Sessions of the Provincial Palace and then going to the
presidential office in April 1932, one year after the proclamation of the Second Spanish
Republic, enters as a deposit Museum of Murcia along with several official portraits of royal
iconography, being included in the different inventories and catalogs without sufficient data or
references, just a terse "DJ.LUNA" as artistic attribution.