JOSE RIZALS

HOMAGE TO
LUNA AND
HIDALGO
By: Jose P. Rizal

HISTORY
On June 25, 1884 Rizal entered a contest in Greek in the
university. He had not eaten a bite that morning as he was
penniless. Despite the predicament, he won a prize. On the
evening of the same day he delivered an eloquent speech at
a banquet praising Filipino painters Juan Luna and Felix
Resurreccion Hidalgo who won top prizes at the National
Exposition of Fine Arts.

Spoliarium
Made by Juan Luna in 1884
Won Gold Medal in la
Exposicin Nacional de
Bellas Artes de Madrid
Features a glimpse of
Roman history centered on
the bloody carnage
brought by gladiatorial
matches.
Latin word referring to the
basement of the Roman
Colosseum where the
fallen and dying gladiators
are dumped and devoid of
their worldly possessions.

Spoliarium
Oil on canvas
Size of 4.22 meters x
7.675 meters
Largest painting in the
Philippines

Juan Luna

Born on October 23, 1857 in the town of

Badoc in Ilocos Norte
Son of Don Joaquin Luna de San Pedro y
Posadas and Doa Laureana Novicio y
Ancheta.
Juans early interest in art was due to the
influence of his brother, Manuel, who was
also a painter.
He received his degree in Bachelor of Arts
at Ateneo de Manila and enrolled later at
Escuela Nautica de Manila where he
became a sailor.
This did not stop Luna from his pursuit in
developing his artistic skills. With the
teachings of Lorenzo Guererro,

Las Virgenes
Cristianas
Expuestas al
Oil on
canvas
Populacho

Las Virgenes
Cristianas
Expuestas al
Oil on
canvas
Populacho

Felix Eduardo
Resurreccion Hidalgo y
Padilla
Multi-awarded Filipino Painter In The 19th
Century
Hidalgo Was Born InManilaOn 21 February
1855
Third Of The Seven Children Of Eduardo
Resurreccion Hidalgo And Maria Barbara Padilla
Studied In The University Of Santo Tomas.
He Studied Law, Which He Never Finished,
Received A Bacheller En Filosifia In March 1871.
He Was Simultaneously Enrolled At The Escuela
De Dibujo Y Pintura.

IDEOLOGY
In his speech, Rizal stresses the reason of their gathering which is to
indicate an achievement which enlightened what really is a dark
society such as that which the painting of Luna shows. He likewise
commends Hidalgo for shedding light to the various parts of the world
and that he truly respects them.
Then, as he talks regarding the Spoliarium, he claims that the canvass
is not mute amidst the shadow and darkness. That shadow portrays
the slavery, oppression, horror, and mystery going on as orphans
faced their fate. Likewise, during those times, the friars who enslave
the Filipinos persecute those who take legal action this, Rizal claims.
On the other hand, he still proclaimed gratitude to Spain by telling
that Spain as a mother also teaches her language to Filipinos;
however, he still does not approve of the midgets who acquire their
posts. This clearly shows how the elite does whatever they can to
prevent Filipinos from taking a notch in their education so that the
lower classes will not be able to defend themselves.

Resources:

La Banca
Flix Resurreccin Hidalgo, La Banca,
1876

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