(With this series, Lifestyle seeks to shed light on the history, meaning and legacy of the country’s many cultural treasures)
One of the best-known paintings in the country, Juan Luna’s “Spoliarium” brought historical triumph not just to Luna but also to the Philippines in 1884, when it bested Spanish artists and won a first-class medal in the Madrid Exposition of Fine Arts. “Spoliarium” was the name given to the Roman Colosseum basement where fallen gladiators were thrown in after combat, which is depicted in the life-sized piece. Currently on display in the National Museum of Fine Arts, the 4.22 x 7.675-meter oil on canvas is considered the largest painting in the country.
It…
Keep on reading: ‘Spoliarium’ by Juan Luna (1884)