Juan Luna facts for kids
Juan Luna de San Pedro y Novicio Ancheta (born October 23, 1857 – died December 7, 1899) was a famous Filipino painter, sculptor, and political activist. He was part of the Philippine Revolution in the late 1800s. Luna became one of the first well-known Filipino artists.
He won a gold medal at the 1884 Madrid Exposition of Fine Arts. Another Filipino painter, Félix Resurrección Hidalgo, won a silver medal. This was a huge moment for the Propaganda Movement, a group of Filipinos who wanted reforms for their country. They celebrated Luna and Hidalgo, showing the strong bond between Spain and the Philippines.
Luna was known for his European-style paintings. He often painted scenes from history and literature. Some of his works even had hidden political messages. His art was inspired by classical styles, often showing people in dramatic poses.
Quick facts for kids
Juan Luna
|
|
|---|---|
Juan Luna c. 1899
|
|
| Born |
Juan Novicio Luna
October 23, 1857 |
| Died | December 7, 1899 (aged 42) |
| Known for | Painting, drawing, sculpting |
|
Notable work
|
in museums:
|
| Movement | Romanticism, Realism |
| Spouse(s) | Paz Pardo de Tavera |
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Education
Juan Luna was born on October 23, 1857, in Badoc, Ilocos Norte, in the northern Philippines. He was the third of seven children. His parents were Joaquín Luna de San Pedro y Posadas and Laureana Novicio y Ancheta.
In 1861, his family moved to Manila. Juan studied at Ateneo Municipal de Manila. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree there. He was very good at painting and drawing. His brother, Manuel N. Luna, also painted. Some people, like Filipino hero José Rizal, even thought Manuel was a better painter than Juan.
Luna later joined the Escuela Nautica de Manila, which is now the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy. He became a sailor. He also took drawing lessons from Lorenzo Guerrero, a famous painting teacher. Luna also enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts in Manila. There, he learned from the Spanish artist Agustin Saez. However, Luna's bold painting style did not please his teacher, and he was asked to leave the academy. But Lorenzo Guerrero saw Luna's talent and told him to go to Madrid to continue his art studies.
Journey to Europe
In 1875, Juan Luna and his brother Manuel traveled to Europe. Manuel studied music, while Juan focused on painting. Juan joined the Escuela de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in Madrid. There, he became friends with the painter Don Alejo Vera. Luna did not like the teaching style at the school. He decided it would be better to work directly with Vera.
Vera took Luna to Rome for some of his art projects. This allowed Luna to see the amazing art of the Renaissance painters. In 1878, Luna's artistic skills became well-known. This happened at the first art exhibition in Madrid, called the Exposición Nacional de Bellas Artes. From then on, Luna spent all his time painting. He created many artworks and showed them at the 1881 Exposition.
In 1881, his painting La Muerte de Cleopatra (The Death of Cleopatra) won a silver medal. It came in second place. Luna's fame as an artist grew. He received a scholarship of 600 pesos each year from the city of Manila. The scholarship required him to create a painting about Philippine history. This painting would then belong to the city.
Becoming a Famous Artist
In 1883, Luna began working on the painting for the city of Manila. In May 1884, he sent his large painting, the Spoliarium, to Madrid. It was for that year's Exposición Nacional de Bellas Artes. Luna won one of the three gold medals given at the exhibition. He became famous among art experts and critics.
On June 25, 1884, Filipino and Spanish nobles celebrated Luna's victory. That evening, José Rizal gave a speech for his friend. He spoke about Luna's amazing talent and his great artistic skills.
Luna became friends with King Alfonso XII of Spain. The Spanish Senate later asked him to paint a large artwork. This painting was called La Batalla de Lepanto (The Battle of Lepanto). In 1885, Luna moved to Paris and opened his own art studio. He also became friends with fellow artist Félix Resurrección Hidalgo.
A year later, he finished El pacto de sangre (The Blood Compact). This was the painting he promised to the Manila City Council. It shows the blood compact ceremony between Datu Sikatuna of Bohol island and the Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi. This painting is now displayed in the Malacañang Palace. He also sent two other paintings to Manila. One was a portrait of López de Legazpi. The other was of Governor-general Ramón Blanco y Erenas.
In 1887, Luna went back to Spain. He entered two of his paintings in that year's Exposition. These were La Batalla de Lepanto and Rendición de Granada (Surrender of Granada). Both paintings won awards. Luna celebrated his success with his friends in Madrid. Graciano López Jaena gave a speech to congratulate him. Luna's paintings are often described as strong and dramatic. His style shows influences from artists like Eugène Delacroix, Rembrandt, and Honoré Daumier.
In 2015, one of Luna's masterpieces, ¿A Do...Va la Nave?, was sold for a high price at an auction in Makati.
Family Life
On December 4, 1886, Juan Luna married Paz Pardo de Tavera. She was the sister of his friends Félix and Trinidad Pardo de Tavera. The couple traveled to Venice and Rome before settling in Paris. They had a son named Andrés Luna de San Pedro. They also had a daughter, María de la Paz, who was nicknamed Bibi. Sadly, Bibi passed away when she was only three years old.
In 1892, a tragic event occurred in their family. After this, Luna moved to Madrid with his brother, Antonio Luna, and his son, Andrés.
Later Years and Legacy
In 1894, Luna returned to the Philippines. He traveled to Japan in 1896. He came back to the Philippines during the Philippine Revolution and the Cry of Balintawak. On September 16, 1896, Spanish authorities arrested Juan and his brother Antonio Luna. They were accused of being involved with the Katipunan rebel army. Even while in prison, Luna was able to create a work of art.
He was pardoned by the Spanish courts on May 27, 1897. After being released, he traveled back to Spain in July. He returned to Manila in November 1898. In 1898, the Philippine revolutionary government chose him to be part of the Paris delegation. This group worked to get the República Filipina (Philippine Republic) recognized by other countries. In 1899, after the Treaty of Paris (1898) was signed, Luna was named a member of the delegation to Washington, D.C. Their goal was to push for the recognition of the Philippine government.
He went back to the Philippines in December 1899. He had heard about the murder of his brother Antonio in Cabanatuan.
Death
Juan Luna traveled to Hong Kong and passed away there on December 7, 1899. He died from a heart attack. His body was first buried in Hong Kong. In 1920, his remains were brought back to the Philippines. They were kept in his son Andrés Luna's house. Later, they were moved to a special place at the Crypt of San Agustin Church in the Philippines.
Five years after his death, Juan Luna was recognized again as a world-famous artist. Peuple et Rois, his last major work, was praised as the best entry at the Saint Louis World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. Sadly, some of his paintings were destroyed by fire during World War II.
Media Portrayal
- Portrayed by Allan Paule in the 1996 TV series Bayani and the 2015 film Heneral Luna.
- Portrayed by Bryan Benedict in the 2014 TV series Ilustrado.
See Also
- Spoliarium
- The Blood Compact
- España y Filipinas
- Antonio Luna
- José Rizal
- José Honorato Lozano
- Damián Domingo
- Fernando Amorsolo
- Fabián de la Rosa
- Justiniano Asuncion
- Félix Resurrección Hidalgo
- Emilio Aguinaldo
Images for kids
-
Juan Luna Novicio para niños
