In this Spoliarium by Juan Luna analysis, Corner4men will take a look at a huge painting measuring 13.8 ft×25.18 ft hung on the National Art Museum’s first floor. The painting is by Juan Luna, a world-famous Filipino artist.

Spoliarium By Juan Luna Description

In 1885, while it was still in Paris, the Spoliarium was purchased by Diputación Provincial de Barcelona (provincial government of Barcelona) with a price of 20,000 pesetas. Before the transaction, the painting had been exhibited in Rome, Madrid, and Paris.

After arriving at the Museo del Arte Moderno in Barcelona two years later, the Spoliarium stayed in storage until the Spanish Civil War damaged it in 1937. After that, the painting went to Madrid to be restored and spent the next 18 years there. When the restoration is done in 1957, it was donated to the Philippines.

Since the painting was too large, it had to be broken into three pieces with each having its own crate. The cleaning and relining of the painting were done by Artist Antonio Dumlao while the architectural, farming, and mounting work were the responsibility of Carlos da Silva.

If you are curious about the meaning of this masterpiece, read on the find out in our Spoliarium by Juan Luna analysis down below.

Spoliarium By Juan Luna Analysis

The Spoliarium 1884 by Juan Luna took eight months to complete and after it was submitted to the Exposición Nacional de Bellas Artes, it was among the three awarded gold medals. The setting of the painting is believed to be a Roman circus – a venue for public events under the Roman Empire. It features dying and dead gladiators who have been stripped of their weapons and garments. The left of the painting features audiences who seem to only watch the slaughter of the gladiators while on the right, there are people who appear to be mourning family members looking for their loved ones in the pile of dead bodies. The dark color scheme makes for the overall impression of the painting.

Let’s continue our Spoliarium by Juan Luna analysis by taking a closer look at the painting. It exudes a Renaissance vibe with soft lines. The effect here is a realistic and naturalistic scene. Other details that give the Renaissance impression is the sculpt, form, and proportion of the bodies which prevail in paintings of this age.

The majority of the color scheme is black and brown shades with the rest is subtle touches of blue, red, and white. The choice of color effectively contributes to the painting’s realism and naturalism and the tragedy it depicts. The chiaroscuro it features makes for an eerie vibe. The mastery use of dark and light emphasizes the remains of the gladiators. The painting is the proof of Juan Luna’s brilliance. If we have to sum up this Spoliarium by Juan Luna analysis by a few words, it will be pain, suffering, defeat, and mourning.

The painting shows the Juan Luna’s socio-cultural and political views and also his affections. It portrays gladiators who were once the symbols of splendor, but now after their defeat, they are treated like slaves.

Message Of Spoliarium By Juan Luna

The painting also has a hidden message not many realize. The gladiators can be understood as our own country – the Philippines, a land with rich and vibrant culture. But a twist of fate left the mighty nation weapon-less and no garment to protect its dignity.

The gladiators being dragged to a side depicts our country’s situation of being suppressed and oppressed. The audience was like indifferent Filipinos who had the strength to do something but wouldn’t. And the mourning crowd represents those who were in pain for the situation of the country but still had hope for a better future.

So in short, by this Spoliarium by Juan Luna analysis, we would like to point out that the painting portrays the situation of the Philippines under the Spaniard colonization.

The Spoliarium painting will forever hold a prestigious spot in the Philippines’ treasure of fine arts as it is a brilliant artwork and talks about a serious and pressing issue.

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