19th Century Filipino Artwork

I’ve chosen three artworks by three Filipino artists from the late 19^th century. During this time the Spaniards controlled the county and governed the citizens. This greatly impacted the art of the country during that time, with artists such as Juan Luna and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo both gaining fame from participating in European art contests such as the National Exhibition of Fine Arts contests in 1884 in Madrid, Spain.

Spolarium - Juan Luna 

The first painting is by Juan Luna and is named the Spoliarium. It is a very large oil on canvas painting that is 4.22 meters tall and 7.675 meters wide. It is considered one of the largest oil on canvas paintings in the country. It’s a painting that shows the basement of the Roman Colosseum where fallen gladiators were thrown in after combat. It’s currently on display at the National Museum of the Philippines. The country of origin isn’t detailed, but it is thought that it was painted in Luna’s Paris studio in 1884 and then submitted to the Madrid Exposition of Fine Arts where it won a first-class medal giving Juan Luna fame for being one of the most famous Filipino artists of his time. The painting is very dark in emotion, showing the cruelty that the Romans conducted against the gladiators. This was considered an interpretation of the state of the Philippines under Spanish rule. During Spanish colonization, the treatment of Filipinos was significant in that many were treated like slaves and had to endure hardships like giving up their food and crops to Spanish warlords in order to survive. This subject matter can also be found in the next painting by Hidalgo.

Because of the size of this painting, it definitely would not fit in a normal home. It would need to be a large building such as a museum in order to have all admire the work that was done in 8 months by Luna. At first glance it is a very tragic and depressing painting. You can see a woman in anguish from her posture on the right side of the painting as the two deceased men are dragged carelessly along the bloody ground. It’s sad and depressing because of how the dead men’s body’s aren’t respected, even after fighting for the sole entertainment of the Roman audience. The background is filled with very dark and muted colors of brown. The audience to the left seem to blend into the background, but 6 of the figures really stand out of the picture. It’s almost terrifying because one of the dead men actually blends in well in the background in comparison to the others. You see the four men that wear red fabric that draw your attention in. The woman on the ground with her blue and white dress adds a nice contrast, although it’s a hue of blue that isn’t quite vibrant like that of the red colors used. The red seems to reflect the violence since red can be associated with anger or hatred. While the woman in blue is a very sad feature that’s added to the painting. The man in the white robes seems to be a netural color, which makes me wonder what his action may be and how it may relate to his position in the painting. It’s a very hard lined and grimy scene and I’m glad that the background uses very blurred lines and darker hues to keep me from finding out what more the scene might entail. The depressing scene is made much more dramatic by it’s size. It would be amazing to see in person in being able to see the details and the strokes or techniques of Lunas.

Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho - Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo

The second painting I have chosen is from Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo and is called Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho or The Christian Virgins Exposed to the Populace when translated into English. This is an oil on canvas painting done by Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo and is 45 inches tall and 62 inches wide.  Although the original painting was destroyed in a fire at the University of Valladoid in Spain, a copy of the painting is owned by the Central Bank of the Philippines. The painting shows two young Christian virgins that are essentially being harassed by a mob of Roman men. You can see one woman completely naked on the ground that is bound by her ankles. Another woman leans against a stone wall with the look of one who has let go of the thought of fighting back. Just like Luna’s painting, the subject matter reflects the Spaniards rule over the Philippines.  

This painting was submitted to the same art exhibition as Luna’s painting for a different category, and received a ninth silver medal during the 1884 event. It is unknown as to where the painting was completed, but it is known that Hidalgo did study art in Europe from 1879 to 1881 and could have still possibly been there when he submitted this piece to the art exhibition. Because of the subject matter and what it pertains to, I would not have this painting in my home. I think that it’s beautifully done, but I have a hard time with certain subject matter especially when knowing the history behind it. I do have a respect for how it was done and the colors that were used. It certainly tells a story, although it’s a heart wrenching one for as simple as it is. I like the way the lighting is used in order to draw the attention of the viewer to a specific area. The pale skin of the one woman that is still standing up shows off a nice contrast against the gray stone walls and even the men that seem to be shrouded by shadows with only a few faces and torsos on display from the way the light is used. I wonder if the fact that the woman on the ground shows darker skin tones relatable to the Roman men, if that showcases that she has already been taken apart. White and red colors also pop out in this painting. The use of space adds a lot of drama to the painting in making it feel almost sinister in how a position of the mob disappear into the shadow, while those closer to the women are brought out into their light. Would be amazing to see better details of the painting to see if any hints of the men are in the shadows.

Alimentando Pollos - Simon Flores y de la Rosa

The last oil on canvas painting that I chose, is from Simon Flores y de la Rosa and is called the Alimentando Pollos or Feeding Chickens in English. It was painted in 1896 in Pampanga, Philippines and is located at the National Museum of the Philippines. It is about 24 inches tall and 40 inches wide. This painting is one of the few during this era in which it didn’t have a religious or political subject matter. It shows a woman and her daughter doing an everyday rural task. Because of the subject matter and the techniques utilized, it was declared a Philippines National Cultural Treasure in 1946.

In comparison to the subject matter of the other two paintings, this one is certainly a lot more peaceful. The woman and daughter seem to be content in feeding the chicken, rooster, and what looks to be quite a bit of little chicks. I have a feeling that this painting might have been a lot brighter with it’s colors when it was first painted, but how it shows now it certainly has a darker neutral background that would be expected of a rural scene. What’s lovely is that you don’t see a lot of red in this painting. Although, it’s a lovely color, I think it shows how peaceful the painting is since I believe the red may have been used for more violent scenes. But here in this picture the green, white, and blue are a nice contrast against the background and are colors that remind me of an outdoor scene that’s perfect for the subject matter. It’s not as blended as the other two. It seems to use thicker lines than the other works. The range of colors used isn’t very wide, but because the task is simple, the lack of so many colors actually works in its favor and even the simple lines seem to add to the scene. It’s a bit to big for me to have in my home, but I think it would be lovely to display in a smaller print.

 References:

“Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas Al Populacho.” Trek Zone, Trek Zone, https://trek.zone/es/filipinas/arte/las-virgenes-cristianas-expuestas-al-populacho, Accessed December 6, 2022.

National Museum of the Philippines , 27 Oct. 2020, https://www.facebook.com/nationalmuseumofthephilippines/posts/the-nationalmuseumph-celebrates-the-181st-birth-anniversary-of-one-of-the-countr/3724499787574312/, Accessed December 6, 2022.

“Paintings.” National Museum of the Philippines , National Museum of the Philippines , 5 Dec. 2022, https://www.nationalmuseum.gov.ph/our-collections/fine-arts/paintings/, Accessed December 6, 2022.