The painting features a glimpse of Roman history centered on the

bloody carnage brought by gladiatorial matches. Spolarium is a Latin

word referring to the basement of the Roman Colosseum where the
fallen and dying gladiators are dumped and devoid of their worldly
possessions.

Artist: Juan Luna

Where and when it was created?
A historical painting, it was made by Luna in 1884 as an entry to the prestigious
Exposicion de Bellas Artes (Madrid Art Exposition, May 1884) and eventually won
him the First Gold Medal.
Is there a primary subject in the piece?
The Spoliarium (often misspelled Spolarium) is a painting by Filipino painter Juan
Luna. Luna, working on canvas, spent eight months completing the painting which
depicts dying gladiators.
What specific elements of art can be found within the piece?
The formal elements that are shown in the painting are lines, light, shape, and
time. Lines can be evident in the painting through the lines on the floor and the
implied lines that are made by the bodies in the painting.