Alec Klein T.

Tan
BSN 1-C
GART 5077

The Revolution

In 1884
Painters Juan Luna and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo both bagged medal
For Spoliarium, his colossal
Spoliarium received the top prize
The reason why the Prize of Honor was not given
Because it would automatically put an Indio

Jose Rizal, Graciano Lopez-Jaena, Pedro Paterno

Spanish art critics,
Luna possesses a rich necessary craftsmanship
Another described the painting as occasionally fantastic

They viewed Spoliarium as expression

Not only of the painter's vision
The painting is a reflection
Our reason

In open fight with prejudice, injustice

Spoliarium with all its horrors!
Humanity massacred; rights of man perverted!

Genius bursts forth everywhere, like light and air

Patrimony, the error of our history
This nation possessed a civilization
Whom it maintained relations

So, you see the Spoliarium

The Philippine Revolution

This feature story was originally titled as The Painter & The Revolution, and was
published in the June 2005 issue of Tatler Philippines. The year was 1884, a glorious
one for the Filipino intellectuals living in Madrid. Painters Juan Luna and Felix
Resurreccion Hidalgo both bagged major prizes at the renowned Madrid Art Expansion
and their countrymen were jumping with joy. Hidalgo won a silver medal (13 were
awarded that year) for his work Christian Virgins Exposed to the Populace where Juan
Luna bagged the gold (one of three awarded that year) for Spoliarium, his colossal
masterpiece named after the area in Roman amphitheatres where fallen gladiators
named were stripped of their armour and weapons and then prepared for burial. To the
Filipinos in Madrid at that time, the twin victories were enough cause to celebrate; and
more so because a Filipino had won a top prize in the grand exposition. Noted Spanish
artists Antonio Muñ oz Degrain and Jose Moreno Cabonero ranked second and third,
respectively. Incidentally, Degrain is best remembered as the art instructor of Pablo
Picasso. Aside from the medals, the exposition also awards a Prize of Honor to the best
work; and the Spoliarium would have been the clear winner since it had already
received the top prize. Unfortunately, the jury decided not to give such an award that
year. According to the book Juan Luna, The Filipino As Painter by Santiago Pilar, many
suspected that the reason why the Prize of Honor was not given was because it would
have automatically put an Indio above two well-known Spanish artists. At that time, the
idea of a colonial subject beating its colonizer was unheard of. But then again, the Prize
of Honor was also a rare distinction, one that was not bestowed every year; so it could
be that too much was read into the apparent "snub". Amid these controversies, a dinner
party was held at Café Ingles attended by members of the Filipino community and their
European guests. In this gathering were Luna's close friends—Jose Rizal, Graciano
Lopez-Jaena, Pedro Paterno, and many more. The Spanish art critics praised the
Spoliarium for its impressive technique. In his book, Pilar cited one critic who observed,
"Luna possesses a rich imagination for grand designs, and the necessary craftsmanship
to integrate the varied resources of the highest category in art." Another described the
painting as "full of vigour, broad and noble, truthful and occasionally fantastic." Luna
was even called the "master of colour composition". But the Filipino intellectuals in
Madrid went beyond Luna's vibrant brushstrokes. Beneath the bloody image of the
gladiators, they saw a country yearning to be recognized for its own achievement
outside the shadow of its colonizer. They viewed Spoliarium as an expression not only
of the painter's vision but also of the state of the country under Spanish rule. During the
dinner party, Rizal was asked to toast to the painting's victory. A medical student at that
time, the soon-to-be-national hero had yet to write his novels, although he had already
earned the respect of the Filipinos in Madrid because of his academic records and
impressive written pieces. In his signature poetic style, Rizal observed that the painting
is a reflection of the "spirit of our social, moral and spiritual life, humanity subjected to
trials unredeemed, reason in open fight with prejudice, fanaticism and injustice." Lopez-
Jaena, known for his eloquence, was bolder in his observation, "The Philippines is more
than a veritable Spoliarium with all its horrors! There it lies in mangled fragments,
humanity massacred, the rights of man perverted! There is no semblance of justice for
the common man and liberty is cinders, ashes and dust!" The brilliance of Luna was
further redefined as the rise of the Filipino race. Thus Rizal's famous words, "Genius has
no country; genius bursts forth everywhere; genius is, like light and air, the patrimony
of all." Lopez-Jaena chose to counter Rizal's speech. "It's time to amend the error of our
history by stating that before the Spaniards, this nation possessed a civilization of a high
degree of refinement, and linked with the cultures of China, India and Japan with whom
it maintained friendly relations."The members of the press who were present during the
gathering were quick to report on the subliminal message of Rizal's speech. When his
family in Calamba learned of the incident, they told Rizal not to come back to the
Philippines for in the eyes of the Spaniards, he was now a subversive. Thus began young
Rizal's quest for independence. "So you see, it all started with the Spoliarium. After his
speech, life was never the same for Rizal. The Philippine Revolution was inspired by a
painting," said John Silva, senior consultant to the National Museum.