Juan Luna's painting "Spolarium" depicts the injustice experienced by Filipinos during Spanish colonization and emphasizes equality. His painting "The Parisian Life" shows three patriots discussing their country under stress, and has been interpreted as portraying a woman reflecting the Philippine archipelago or as a prostitute. Fernando Amorsolo's painting "Antipolo Fiesta" portrays a celebration of the bountiful harvest in Antipolo, while his painting "Palay Maiden" depicts a distinctly feminine Filipina holding rice, portraying the ideal of Filipina beauty without emphasizing Western physical features.

1. John Michael L. Manila September29,2021
History 11 (2:00pm-3:00pm) EDE-1B
Instructor: Mr. Renato Valdez
Activity 2.4
Search online for two paintings, one from Luna and the other one for Amorsolo. Then discuss the
ideas portrayed in the paintings.
Juan Luna
Title of the Painting Elements/Principle Meaning/Message
1. Spoliarium The Spoliariumisapopularoil
paintingbyJuanLuna, which
was completedinRome in
1884. Lines,light, shape,and
time are the formal elements
representedinthe painting. The
designprinciplespresentinthe
paintingare proportionand
unity.
JuanLuna’s Spolariumwantsto
emphasize the humaninjustice
that the Philippinesexperience
duringthe Spanishcolonization.
Spolariumisall about equality
inour social,moral and political
life.
2. The ParisianLife “The ParisianLife”wasanoil on
canvas paintingthatmeasured
22 incheslongand31 inches
wide.The paintingdepictsagirl
sittingona sofa and three
gentlemendiscussingthe state
of the country,whichisunder
stress. The three gentlemen
were correspondinglyidentified
as Juan Luna,Dr. Jose Rizal and
AristonBaptista,the three
patriotHeroesof our country.
The painting"The ParisianLife"
isalso knownasInteriord'un
Cafi,whichtranslatesas"inside
a café.The paintinghasa
popularmeaningor
interpretationinwhichthe lady
sittingonthe sofa isidentified
as a flirtand prostitute.In
contrast,Luna's personal
experience withhiswife, who
had an affairwithanotherman.
Anotherinterpretationholds
that the ladyis a reflectionof
the Philippine archipelago.

2. Fernando Amorsolo
Title of the Painting Elements/Principle Meaning/Message
1. AntipoloFiesta It was a 51x76 inch oil on
canvas.The popular
interpretationhereisthatit
focusesona pair of dancers in
the fieldsurroundedbyyoung
and oldrevelers.
Thispaintingportraysa rural
scenarioinAntipolowitha
groupof people celebratinga
fiesta.Itrepresentsthe
bountiful harvestof the Filipino
FiestainAntipolo,where
Filipinospresentedand
gatheredvarioustypesof foods.
2. PalayMaiden
(DalagangBukid)
The painting"PalayMaiden"
depictsa Filipinaholdingpalay,
a rice fieldinthe background,
and a Filipino harvestingpalay.
Amorsoloportrayedadistinctly
femininecharacter,
demonstratingthe countryand
time culture.
In thispainting,Amorsolodoes
not correspondtoa Western
ideaof beautyby tryingto
describe the face,suchas the
eyes,nose,aswell as skincolor.
The message here isessentially
aboutthe ideal FilipinaBeauty.