Beholding Luna's Lost Painting

- June 17, 2023, Saturday.

- Rarely do we get a chance to behold something from the past, after being lost for so long. I can only imagine the shock that museums and art enthusiasts had when they realized that Juan Luna's lost work, "Hymen, oh Hymenee!" was coming home to the Philippines.

- What's the fuss about "Hymen, oh Hymenee!"? Well, this painting was "lost" after Juan Luna died in 1899. This painting is currently at the Ayala Museum, on loan from art collector Jaime Ponce de Leon. Ponce de Leon was actually not the first person to have seen the elusive painting since being missing. However, he was the only one to have successfully brought the painting home after years of negotiations with a European family who had the painting for decades.

Ayala Museum is known for its permanent exhibition on Philippine pre-colonial gold. I wore a golden necklace (from Indonesia), and it looked like I stole it from the exhibit. HAHAHAHA.

- The painting is valuable for many reasons; it is so valuable it's called as a "holy grail" in Philippine art. For one, Juan Luna of course is known by most Filipinos as a prolific artist and a passionate political activist during the Spanish colonial era. He was the brother of General Antonio Luna. Both were part of the educated class called "ilustrados," making them friends with the likes of Jose Rizal. Juan Luna is mostly known for the giant painting, the "Spoliarium," which is currently proudly displayed in the National Museum of the Philippines.

- The other reason why the "Hymen, oh Hymenee!" painting is valuable is because it won the third plaze in the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris. Think of it as winning the third place in an arts Olympics. (This particular Exposition is significant because the Eiffel Tower was built for this event!) The painting was finished in 1887 during his honeymoon in Venice after marrying Paz Pardo de Tavera. It is said that the painting perhaps reflected Luna's own marriage with Pardo de Tavera. 

I like the explosion of colors, and they say this is Luna's trademark touch. Some say though that his strokes seem "violent," which partly shows his temperament.

- The painting was drawn with a Roman theme, based on Luna's on fascination with Greco-Roman cultures. The title of the painting refers to Hymen, the Greco-Roman god of marriage. The painting is also known as "Boda Romana," which means "Roman Marriage." I find it ironic that despite the brilliance and vibrance of this painting - including the little turtle at the bottom of the painting that signifies meekness and fidelity - Luna's marriage was not the best. He accused his wife of having an affair, which resulted in him murdering his wife, mother-in-law, and wounding his brothers-in-law.

Details.

See the little turtle at the bottom?

 - Friends who know me well know that I'm into ancient art more, rather than modern artworks. However, as someone who is also interested in history and mystery, seeing a painting as Luna's "Hymen, oh Hymenee!" made me feel ecstatic. I've always been a sucker for stories about lost historical stuff that people have found or re-discovered. 

Hymen, oh Hymenee!

I look so formal here.

- I know there is more to learn about the Philippines' history though material artefacts like artworks such as "Hymen, oh Hymenee!" These things let people understand how people saw and interpreted the world around them, which includes history unfolding. I wonder what elusive work of national importance we'll get to find next!