Works of

Luna and Amorsolo

n
Fernando Amorsolo y Cueto
He was born in 1892 in Paco, Philippines. He was
considered one of the many important painters in the
well as peerless
Philippine art history in the 20th century.

One of his famous paintings was Leyendo el periodico

which won second place in the Bazar Escolta, a contest
organized by the Asociation Internacional de Artistas.
The next year he enrolled in the Art School of the
Liceo de Manilla where he graduated with honors.
The University of the Philippines’ School of Fine Arts
was where he later entered and where he was
influenced by famous artists like Renoir, Monet and
Diego Velazquez.

In the year 1920s to 1930s Amorsolo set up his own

painting studio and earned his honors from his
paintings and drawings. He actively devoted his time
for painting and one of his paintings, Rice Planting
images were used in brochures and posters during the
Commonwealth era.
 Portrayals of Filipino
culture, tradition, day-to-
day life of an ordinary
Filipino, and customs like
Fiesta, Simba, cock-
fighting, etc
Leyendo el Periodico
The Rice Field
 HISTORICAL WORKS, like
the First Mass in Limasawa,
and day-to-day life in the
market during the Japanese
Occupation
 The Burning of

Sto. Domingo

• Painted on 1942. (During

WWII)

• Japan’s forces bombing at

Intramuros

• faced Five times

destruction Since the times
of Dominicans

• Symbolism of Fire and

Smoke
 NUDITY

Some believes
that Juan Luna
is a womanizer
and
sexually-
preoccupied
artist
portraits
 Fernando Amorsolo y Cueto
National Artist of the Philippines for Painting
● Signature techniques. Illuminated landscapes
* Excellent sketch and backlighting
artist as well technique
as peerless
(Chiaroscuro) Backlight his object, gently shading them with nuanced
color tones & haloing them with incandescent golden glow.

● Before Japanese era: life of ordinary people

● Japanese era: destruction, tragedy, death, etc.

* Most of his paintings portrayed the Filipino culture, tradition, and

customs like Filipino Fiestas. The struggle of Philippines and the people
was often portrayed by Amorsolo and he used woman as themes
mourning on her dead husband during the World War II.

*Became popular because of his illuminated landscapes and his historical

paintings on which you can see the real reflection of a Filipino soul.
*His “Rice Planting” was a staple of tourist
brochure.

*It’s visual weight is light because the colors used were mostly pastel in
nature.

*No dark colors were used to produce a feeling of calm and peace.

*the particular genre that was used is realism.

*He painted the details as to how it might look

like in real life.

*Sunlight is a consistent element in Amorsolo’s works.

*Brush strokes were smooth which emphasizes the serene feeling.

Juan Luna
“Filipino Painter”
*1st recognized Philippine artist

*His 1st tutor Don Lorenzo Guerero was so impressed with

his early works.

*Don Lorenzo persuaded his parents to send him to Spain

to advance his skills.

Date of Birth: October 23, 1857

Birthplace: Ilocos Norte, Philippines Year of Death:

December 7, 1899
Born in the town of Badoc, Ilocos
Norte in the northern Philippines, Juan
Luna was the third among the seven
children of Don Joaquin Luna de San
Pedro y Posadas and Doña Laureana
Novicio y Ancheta.
In 1861, the Luna family moved
to Manila and he went to Ateneo
Municipal de Manila where he obtained
his Bachelor of Arts degree.
Luna enrolled at Escuela Nautica de
Manila (now Philippine Merchant Marine discontented with the style of
Academy). He took drawing lessons
under the
illustrious painting teacher Lorenzo
Guerrero of Ermita, Manila.
He also enrolled in the Academy of Fine
Arts (Academia de Dibujo y Pintura) in
Manila
where he was influenced and taught how
to
draw by the Spanish artist Agustin Saez.
Unfortunately, Luna's vigorous brush
strokes
displeased his teacher and Luna was
discharged from the Academy. studies.
Juan entered the Escuela de
Bellas Artes de San Fernandouela,
where he befriended the painter
Don Alejo Vera. Luna was
teaching in school and decided that
it would be much better to work
with Vera.
It was in 1878 when his artistic talents
was established with the opening of the
first art exposition in Madrid which
was called the Exposicion Nacional de
Bellas Artes (National Demonstration
of Beautiful Arts). From then on, Luna
became engrossed in painting and
produced a collection of paintings that
he exhibited in the 1881 Exposition.
His La Muerte de Cleopatra (The
Death of Cleopatra) won him a silver medal
and came in second place. Luna's growing
reputation as an artist led to
apensionado (pension) scholarship at 600
pesos annually through the Ayuntamiento of
Manila.
The condition was that he was obliged
to develop a painting which captured the
essence of Philippine history which would
then become the Ayuntamiento's property.
In 1883 Luna started the painting
demanded of him by the Ayuntamie
In May 1884, he shipped the large
canvas of the Spoliarium to Madrid
the year's Exposición Nacional de B
Artes. He was the first recipient of t
three gold medals awarded in the
exhibition and Luna gained recogn
among the connoisseurs and art
critics present.
On June 25, 1884, Filipino and
Spanish nobles organized an even
celebrating Luna's win in the
exhibition. That evening, Rizal
prepared a speech for his friend,
addressing the two significant
things of his art work, which
included the glorification of genius
and the grandeur of his artistic
skills.
Luna developed a friendly
relationship with the King of
Spain and was later commissioned by
the Spanish Senate to paint a large
canvas which was called the La Batalla
de Lepanto (The Battle of Lepanto).
He moved to Paris in 1885 where he
opened his own studio and befriended
Hidalgo.
A year after, he finished the
piece El Pacto de Sangre (The Blood
Compact) in accordance with the
agreement he had with the
Ayuntamiento of Manila. Depicted in
this piece was the blood compact
ceremony between the Datu
Sikatuna , one of the lords in Bohol
island, and the Spanish conquistador
Miguel López de Legazpi.
It is now displayed in
the Malacañan Palace. He also sent
two other paintings in addition to the
one required; the second canvas sent
to Manila was a portrait of López de
Legazpi reconstructed by Luna from
his recollection of a similar portrait
he saw in the hall of the Cabildo, and
the third was of Governor-general
Ramón Blanco y Erenas.
In 1887, Luna once again
traveled back to Spain to enter
in that year's Exposition two of
his pieces, the La Batalla de
Lepanto and Rendición de
Granada (Surrender of
Granada), He celebrated his triumph with
his
friends in Madrid with Graciano
López-Jaena delivered Luna a
congratulatory speech. Luna's
paintings are generally described as
being vigorous and dramatic. With its
elements of Romanticism, his style
shows the influence
of Delacroix, Rembrandt,
and Daumier.
On December 8, 1886, Luna
married Maria de la Paz Pardo de
Tavera, a sister of his friend Felix
and Trinidad Pardo de Tavera. The
couple traveled to Venice and Rome
and settled in Paris. They had one
son, whom they named Andrés, and
a daughter nicknamed Bibi who died
in infancy. Luna was fond of
painting his wife.
However, the jealous Luna
frequently accused Paz of having an
affair with a certain Monsieur
Dussaq. Finally in a fit of jealousy,
he killed his wife and mother-in-law
and wounded his brother-in-law,
Felix, on September 23, 1892. He
was arrested and murder charges
were filed against him.
Luna was acquitted of
charges on February 8, 1893,
on grounds of temporary
insanity; the "unwritten law" at
the time forgave men for
killing unfaithful wives.
He was ordered to pay the Pardo de
Taveras a sum of one thousand six
hundred fifty one francs and eighty
three cents, and an additional
twenty five francs for postage, in
addition to the interest of
damages. Five days later, Luna went
to Madrid with his brother, Antonio
Luna, and his son, Andrés In 1891
Luna moved back to the
Philippines and traveled to Japan in
1896,
returning during the Philippine
Revolution of
the Cry of Balintawak. Unfortunately,
on
September 16, 1896, he and his Philippines in December 1899 upon
brother Antonio Luna were arrested by hearing of the murder of his brother
Spanish authorities for being involved Antonio by the Kawit Battalion in
with the Katipunan rebel army. Despite Cabanatuan. On December 7, 1899,
his imprisonment, Luna was still able to Luna suffered a heart attack and died
produce a work of art which he gave to there. His remains were buried in Hong
a visiting priest. He was pardoned by the Kong and in 1920 were exhumed and
Spanish courts on May 27, 1897 and was kept in Andrés Luna's house, to be later
released from prison and he traveled transferred to a niche at the Crypt of the
back to Spain. San Agustin Church in the Philippines.

In 1898, he was appointed by the Five years later, Juan would be

executive board of the Philippine reinstated as a world renowned
revolutionary government as a member of artist and Peuple et Rois, his last
the Paris delegation which was working major work, was acclaimed the
for the diplomatic recognition of best entry to the Saint Louis
the República Filipina (Philippine World's Fair in the United States.
Republic) . Unfortunately some of his
paintings were destroyed by fire
In 1899, upon the signing of the Treaty of in World War II.
Paris (1898), Luna was named a member
of the delegation to Washington, D.C. to
press for the recognition of the Philippine
government. He traveled back to the
• An 1884 oil painting that measures 4.22 meters x 7.675
meters made in Rome.

• Won First Gold Medal at Exposicion de Bellas Artes (Madrid

Art Exposition, May 1884). Many did not know that Luna send
the same painting in France, and it won again.

• Filipinos and Spaniards.

• Fallen Gladiators and Romans

• Cruelty of Romans towards the fallen Gladiators

● dramatic, vigorous, and romantic

● influence of Delacroix, Rembrandt, and Daumier
● La Muerte de
Cleopatra (The
Death of Cleopatra)
won a silver medal
in the National
Exposition of Fine
Arts in Madrid
• Jose Rizal served as the model
for Sikatuna; Trinidad H. Pardo
de Tavera served as the model
for Legazpi.
• Depicts some imbalance
between the Spaniards and the
Filipinos
• Rembrandt-style
 THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL WORK
• An 1892 oil on canvas impressionist
painting that measures 22” x 31” made
in Paris, France
• Won the silver medal award in 1904 at
the St. Louis Exposition in the United
States
• Considered to be one of the last major
works Luna has done during his post-
academic and life in Paris
• Provenance of Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin
• Now owned by GSIS and is housed in
the National Museum (Bought from
Christie’s Hong Kong in 2002 for Php
46,000,000)
BULACA
N

CEB
U
 L’Echo de Paris

“Hanged”

Half-filled

Colonizer
Full
 Juan Luna

Dr. Jose
Rizal

Dr. Ariston
Bautista Lin
*Spolarium is the largest painting in the Philippines.

*The technique used by the artist was symbolism.

*Heavy strong brush stroke- expressed his anger over the abuses and
cruelties.

*Lines and color- he captured pathos and barbarism

of a decadent empire.

*Most well-known painting by the artist.

*Symbol or our social, moral and political life: humanity unredeemed,

reason and aspiration in open fight with prejudice, fanaticism, and
injustice.
Miniaturismo
style in painting which pays attention to the
embroidery and textures of the costumes

• Genres - Depicts people in everyday activities

 LEARNINGS
Fernando Amorsolo and Juan Luna proved that
no barriers can prevent the Filipino talent and
brilliance from
reaching greatness. Both prove that Filipino is not
an inferior race.
Both are shining examples of how one’s talent
and love for art and country can empower one to
overcome limitations and challenges in creating
enduring beauty and continuing art’s social
relevance.
Amorsolo likewise did not forget his origin even he
was already in the foreign soil.
References
 References
[Photograph]. Retrieved from https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/bc/Fernando_Amorsolo_1a.jpg

The Battle of Lepanto [Painting]. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/The_Battle_of_Lepanto_of_1571_full_version_by_Juan_Luna.jpg/800px-

The_Battle_of_Lepanto_of_1571_full_version_by_Juan_Luna.jpg

Biography of Artist Juan Novico Luna. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://geringerart.com/bios/luna.html

The Blood Compact [Painting]. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/The_Blood_Compact_by_Juan_Luna.jpg

The Controversial Paintings of Amorsolo and Luna. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://littleprincess1.hubpages.com/hub/The-Controversial-Painting

The Death of Cleopatra [Painting]. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/The_Death_of_Cleopatra_by_Juan_Luna1881.jpg

Fernando Amorsolo: The Painting Guru of Rural Philippine Landscapes » Driftwood Journeys. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.driftwoodjourneys.com/fernando-amorsolo-the-painting-guru-of-rural-philippine-landscapes/

Juan Luna [Photograph]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Luna_1899.png

 References
Pilar, S.A. "Altar". In CCP Enclyclopedia of Philippine Art, 1st ed., Vol. 4, 269-270. Philippines: CCP Publications Office, 1994.
https://intramuros2007.wordpress.com/2007/02/19/santo-domingo-church/

juan luna’s paintings | HUM01 1FMC. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://hum011fmc.wordpress.com/2013/01/31/juan-lunas-paintings/

Sison, N. (2013, September 22). Celebrating world-class Filipinos — circa 1884 | The Inbox - Yahoo News Singapore. Retrieved from

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/the-inbox/celebrating-world-class-filipinos-circa-1884-023024322.html

Amorsolo, F. C., & Roces, A. R. (1975). Amorsolo (1892-1972). Makati: Filipinas Foundation.

Ocampo, A., & Lopez Memorial Museum. (n.d.). Amorsolo's brush with history. Retrieved from

http://web.archive.org/20030827202648/www.lopezmuseum.org.ph/artscene_zeroin_amorsolo_01.html
Aguilar, F. V. (2010). The Pacto de Sangre in the late nineteenth-century nationalist emplotment of Philippine history. Philippine
Studies, 58(1-2), 79-109.
Digitista Mediamax: Juan Luna Decoded. (2011, November 20). Retrieved from http://digitista.blogspot.com/2011/11/juan-luna-
decoded.html?m=1
Beltran, M. (2011, August 9). Travel Maria: The Parisian Life Painting of Juan Luna. Retrieved from
http://www.mariaronabeltran.com/2011/08/juan-luna-and-his-parisian-life.html
Luna, J. (1892). The Parisian Life. Retrieved from http://www.christies.com/lotfinderimages/d39928/d3992834x.jpg

National Museum. (2014, February 10). Spoliarium. Retrieved from

http://www.nationalmuseum.gov.ph/nationalmuseumbeta/Collections/Spoliarium.html