Filipino
Filipino may refer to:
* Something from or related to the Philippines
** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines.
** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
Filipino
Filipino may refer to:
* Something from or related to the Philippines
** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines.
** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
s to excel and earn recognition in the international field of arts and
culture
Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.Tyl ...
Don Juan of Austria
John of Austria ( es, Juan, link=no, german: Johann; 24 February 1547 – 1 October 1578) was the natural son born to Holy Roman Emperor Charles V late in life when he was a widower. Charles V met his son only once, recognizing him in a secret ...
(also known as
Don John of Austria
John of Austria ( es, Juan, link=no, german: Johann; 24 February 1547 – 1 October 1578) was the natural son born to Holy Roman Emperor Charles V late in life when he was a widower. Charles V met his son only once, recognizing him in a secret ...
) in battle while at the bow of a ship."The Battle of Lepanto" by Juan Luna traditioninaction.org It is one of the “huge epic canvasses” painted by Luna (the others are the ''
Spoliarium
The ''Spoliarium'' (often misspelled ''Spolarium'') is a painting by Filipino painter Juan Luna. Luna, working on canvas, spent eight months completing the painting which depicts dying gladiators. The painting was submitted by Luna to the ''Expos ...
By becoming the second Filipino to win the first of the three gold medals during the Exposicion General de Bellas Artes (National Exposition of Fine Arts) in
Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
Spanish government
gl, Goberno de España eu, Espainiako Gobernua
, image =
, caption = Logo of the Government of Spain
, headerstyle = background-color: #efefef
, label1 = Role
, data1 = Executive power
, label2 = Established
, da ...
to create other canvasses. Although Luna decided to move from Madrid to
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
in October 1884, he had to travel back and forth the two cities in order to meet the demands for portrait jobs, including the task of assisting Filipinos to push for reforms in the Philippines through the seat of the government of Spain in Madrid. Some of the commissioned paintings were ''The Battle of Lepanto'', together with ''
Peuple et Rois
''Peuple et Rois'' (''People and Kings'') is the French title of an 1892 painting by Juan Luna. Finished in the academic style of painting, Luna intended to send and enter ''Peuple et Rois'' for the 1892 Chicago Universal Exposition in the Unite ...
'' and ''
España y Filipinas
''España y Filipinas'' (“Spain and the Philippines") is a series of oil on wood paintingsHonasan, Alya B"España y Filipinas" by Juan Luna, Into the 21st Century, lopezmuseum.org.ph by Filipino painter, Ilustrado, and revolutionary activist, Jua ...
Spanish Senate
The Senate ( es, Senado) is the upper house of the Cortes Generales, which along with the Congress of Deputies – the lower chamber – comprises the Parliament of the Kingdom of Spain. The Senate meets in the Palace of the Senate in Madrid.
Th ...
, through the influence of King
Alfonso XII of Spain
Alfonso XII (Alfonso Francisco de Asís Fernando Pío Juan María de la Concepción Gregorio Pelayo; 28 November 185725 November 1885), also known as El Pacificador or the Peacemaker, was King of Spain from 29 December 1874 to his death in 1885 ...
, who commissioned Luna to paint ''The Battle of Lepanto''. King Alfonso XII's plan was to hang Luna’s ''Battle of Lepanto'' side by side with
Francisco Pradilla Ortiz
Francisco Pradilla Ortiz (24 July 1848 – 1 November 1921) was a prolific Spanish painter famous for creating historical scenes.
Biography
He was born in Villanueva de Gállego, in Zaragoza Province and began his studies in Zaragoza. He ...
’s 1878 grand-prize winning masterpiece ''
La rendicion de granada
The Treaty of Granada, also known as the Capitulation of Granada or simply the Capitulations, was signed and ratified on November 25, 1491, between Boabdil, the sultan of Granada, and Ferdinand and Isabella, the King and Queen of Castile, León ...
'' (''
The Surrender of Granada
''La rendición de Granada'' (English:''The Surrender of Granada'') is a work by the Spanish painter Francisco Pradilla Ortiz completed in 1882, which is located in the Conference Room or ''Salón de los Pasos Perdidos'' of the Spanish Senate Pal ...
'')."The Battle of Lepanto" by Juan Luna Popular Science, August 1899, page 474. Another reason for commissioning Luna to paint ''The Battle of Lepanto'' was to compensate Luna for not having been given the grand prize known as the “Prize of Honor” or “Medal of Excellence” for ''Spoliarium''. A biased jury, known as the "Jury of Honor" did not grant Luna the prize because he was a Filipino and in spite of the fact that “public sentiment felt” Luna “deserved the award”."The Battle of Lepanto" by Juan Luna , kulay-diwa.com One year after, ''The Battle of Lepanto'' became a gold medalist glphils.org during the 1888 Fine Arts Exhibition in
Barcelona
Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...
José Rizal
José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda (, ; June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896) was a Filipino nationalist, writer and polymath active at the end of the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines. He is considered the national he ...
praised Luna and Hidalgo for their achievements, “mastery and nationalism” through a speech.
Graciano Lopez Jaena
Graciano is a Spanish (wine), Spanish red wine grape that is grown primarily in Rioja (wine), Rioja. The vine produces a low yield (wine), yield that are normally harvest (wine), harvested in late October. The wine produced is characterized by ...
, another Filipino hero, also gave Luna and Hidalgo a “congratulatory speech” for their success."The Battle of Lepanto" by Juan Luna , sunstar.com
Description
Luna’s ''The Battle of Lepanto'' provides significance to the “ Spanish victory against the Turks”. For this reason, the widow of King Alfonso XII of Spain, Queen Regent
Maria Christina of Austria
Maria Christina Henriette Desideria Felicitas Raineria of Austria ( es, María Cristina de Habsburgo-Lorena; 21 July 1858 – 6 February 1929) was the second queen consort of Alfonso XII of Spain. She was queen regent during the vacancy of the ...
, herself was the person who unveiled Luna’s masterpiece painting at the Senate Hall of Madrid in November 1887, together with Pradilla’s ''La rendición de granada''. However, the victory at Lepanto was not merely a Spanish victory against the Turks. The victory at Lepanto was a Catholic victory over the invading forces of Islam. At Lepanto a coalition of Catholics defeated the forces of Islam who were attempting to conquer and subdue the West to force her citizens to submit to Islamic rule. Therefore, this painting is a portrayal of national pride because the Spanish were instrumental in the victory at Lepanto and it is also a portrayal of pride in the Spaniard's Catholicism since the battle resulted in a Catholic victory. Both paintings are still currently displayed at the Madrid Senate Hall."The Battle of Lepanto" by Juan Luna , filipinopaintings.com Luna also received, through the royal order of Queen Regent Maria Christina, the ''Medalla de Isabela La Católica'' (Medal of Elizabeth the Catholic) from the Ministry of the High Seas ( Ministerio de Ultramar), for the Filipino's “outstanding service” to Spain.