2007, December 21. Juan Luna, 150th Birth Anniversary
"Parisian Life" by Juan Luna
Litho Offset.
Amstar Company, Inc., Perf. 14.
Souvenir Sheets of 4
Souvenir
Sheets of 4 (10,000)
7p x
4 "Parisian Life" by Juan Luna
Se-tenant strip of 3 (perforated) and one single (imperforate but
with simulated perforations)
Designer and Graphic Artist: David
U. Dujunco
Design Coordinator: Dr. Ngo Tiong Tak
First Day Covers: Manila
JUAN LUNA - FAMOUS FILIPINO PAINTER - 150th BIRTH ANNIVERSARY
"Parisian Life", also known as
"Interior d'un Cafc" was painted in 1892 by Juan Luna. The oil on
canvass painting, 22 inches long and 31 inches in width, and now
housed at the GSIS Museum of Art-Pasay City, features three Filipino
patriots - Jose Rizal, Juan Luna, and Ariston Bautista Lin. It was
given by Juan Luna to Ariston Bautista Lin who kept it in his Quiapo
house, site of the Propaganda and Katipunan movements.
The Christie's catalogue describes "Parisian Life" as the "best
features of the artist's work from the Paris period, testifying to
his sensitivity and skill in capturing a fleeting moment of ordinary
life, and imbuing it with personality and universal emotions."
At the center of the delicately painted masterpiece is a young and
pretty woman languidly sitting on a sofa. The painting also captures
three Filipino heroes in the advent of the revolution. In 1892, the
patriots did not realize that they would change the course of
Philippine history. Jose Rizal wrote the inspirational novels of
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo and became the most beloved
Philippine national hero. Juan Luna painted award-winning paintings
and was a member of the first Philippine diplomatic mission to the
United States. Ariston Bautista Lin discovered paregoric, a medicine
that stopped the onslaught of countrywide cholera epidemic at the
turn of the century. He was also the financier of the Propaganda
movement, Katipunan, Philippine Revolution and Philippine America
War. The three patriots played pivotal roles in Philippine history.
The painting is the only one, among the
hundreds of Juan Luna paintings wherein the master painter painted
himself, as part of the painting's narrative.
The painting also illustrates the Impressionist attempts of Luna in
color, perspective and theme at the height of 19th century
Impressionist movement in France. Even after the demise of Luna, the
painting was publicly exhibited and won a-silver Medal in the 1904
St. Louis Exposition.
One interpretation claims the lady as the mirror image of the
Philippine archipelago. Superimposition of the Philippine map's
mirror image on the lady highlights the following: the contour of
Northern Luzon follows the same contour of the lady's bodice; the
distance between Infanta, Quezon and San Antonio, Zambales is exact
to the small waistline of the lady ; all islands of Visayas and
Mindanao are evenly spread out within the pink gown of the lady; the
island of Palawan has exactly the same incline and shape as the arm
of the lady ; the mountain range that separates Surigao from Agusan
and Davao is exact to the dark fold of the lady's gown from north to
south; the site of the birth of 1898 Philippine Independence, Kawit
Cavite, is exact on the lady's womb, site of a woman's birthing ;
the site of the declaration of 1899 Constitution, Malolos, Bulacan,
is exact on the navel of the lady. Constitution is the bloodline of
the nation and the umbilical cord is the infant's bloodline to his
mother; and Cebu covers a knee of the lady. Cebu is the site of the
first Christianization in the country.
Simply the interpretation contends the lady as our motherland. The
motherland is awkwardly poised, disturbed with a blank stare, unsure
whether to stand up or remain seated. With this contention, it
integrates cohesively other elements in the painting.
The three heroes are discussing the disturbed state of the
motherland in 1892. It is the exact year when La Liga Filipina was
formed (July 3); when the Katipunan was formed (July 7) and when
Jose Rizal was banished to exile in Dapitan (July 7). The year 1892
was the eve of the Philippine Revolution.
The newspaper L'Echo De Paris is folded behind the lady. The
newspaper signifies the Cry of Bastille or French Revolution,
inspiration of the Philippine Revolution. The French aspirations of
Liberty, fraternity and Equality were identical to the longings of
the Filipinos. Thus, the French revolution, the echo of Paris,
figures clearly behind the disturbed state of Philippine motherland
in 1892.