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<a href="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources/parisian-life-luna.webp" rel="lightbox">
<img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources/parisian-life-luna.webp"" alt="The Parisian Life by Juan Luna" />
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(The Parisian Life by Juan Luna)
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Luna made this 53x75-centimeter oil painting sometime in 1892, which interpreted as showing an unidentified Parisian lady and Filipino heroes Dr. <a href="/kauswagan/articles/1190/today-in-philippine-history-june-19-1861-dr-jose-p-rizal-was-born-in-calamba-laguna" class="news_link">Jose Rizal</a>, Juan Luna himself and <a href="/articles/3271/ariston-bautista-y-lin-physician-patriot-philanthropist" class="news_link">Dr. Ariston Bautista</a>.


This Parisian Life is possibly the last major work of Luna considering that he traveled more often than painting during the latter years of his life, finishing only a handful of Philippines landscapes.


Luna was made known for his three masterpieces: the Spoliarium in 1884, El Batalla de Lepanto (1885), and Peuple et Rois (1889), which resulted in outstanding awards from the most prestigious international art competitions in Europe and America.


Spoliarium depicted the underground portion beneath the Colosseum theater in Rome where the fallen gladiators and wild beasts were dragged and allowed to die after their fierce and bloody encounters held to delight the Roman rulers and thousands of spectators. This is presently hanged at the Philippine National Museum and is considered a national treasure.


Because of Luna's popularity, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfonso_XII_of_Spain" target="_blank" class="news_link" title="King Alfonso XII of Spain">King Alfonso XII of Spain</a> commissioned him to paint the El Batalla de Lepanto to hang in the halls of the Spanish Senate.


Peuple et Rois (Peoples and Kings), completed in 1889, was acclaimed the best entry to the Universal Exposition of St. Louis, U.S.A, but unfortunately was destroyed by fire during World War II.


Luna died in Hong Kong on his way back home on December 7, 1899.


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Source:
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<ol class="article-sources">
<li>
Philippine News Agency archives
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<li>
Photo credit: Pinoy Tumblr
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</ol>

October 27, 2002: the GSIS purchased Juan Luna's "Parisian Life" painting at an auction in Hong Kong