The Battle of Lepanto (Luna painting)
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Lepanto is a famous painting by award-winning Filipino
master painter and hero Juan Luna
. Luna is one of the first Filipino
s to excel and earn recognition in the international field of arts
and culture
(the other was Félix Resurrección Hidalgo
). Painted by Luna in 1887, the masterpiece is about the Battle of Lepanto
of October 7, 1571. The painting features Don Juan of Austria (also known as Don John of Austria) in battle while at the bow of a ship. It is one of the “huge epic canvasses” painted by Luna (the others are the Spoliarium
and The Blood Compact
). The painting is also known as The Battle of Lepanto of 1571.
, Spain
in 1884 for his Spoliarium painting, Luna became famous and obtained commissions from the Spanish government
to create other canvasses. Although Luna decided to move from Madrid to Paris, France
in October 1884, he had to travel back and forth the two places 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
and España y Filipinas
. It was the Spanish Senate
, through the influence of King Alfonso XII of Spain
, 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
’s 1878 grand-prize winning masterpiece La rendicion de granada (The Surrender of Granada). 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”. One year after, The Battle of Lepanto became a gold medalist during the 1888 Fine Arts Exhibition in Barcelona
, Spain. During the victory gathering of Filipinos in Madrid, Philippine national hero José Rizal
praised Luna and Hidalgo for their achievements, “mastery and nationalism” through a speech. Graciano Lopez Jaena
, another Filipino hero, also gave Luna and Hidalgo a “congratulatory speech” for their success.
victory against the Turks
”. For this reason, the widow of King Alfonso XII of Spain, Queen Regent Maria Christina of Austria
, 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. Both paintings are still currently displayed at the Madrid Senate Hall. 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.
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
master painter and hero Juan Luna
Juan Luna
Juan Luna y Novicio was an Ilocano Filipino painter, sculptor and a political activist of the Philippine Revolution during the late 19th century...
. Luna is one of the first Filipino
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
s to excel and earn recognition in the international field of arts
ARts
aRts, which stands for analog Real time synthesizer, is an audio framework that is no longer under development. It is best known for previously being used in KDE to simulate an analog synthesizer....
and culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
(the other was Félix Resurrección Hidalgo
Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo
Félix Resurrección Hidalgo y Padilla was a Filipino artist. He is acknowledged as one of the great Filipino painters of the late 19th century, and is significant in Philippine history for having been an acquaintance and inspiration for members of the Philippine reform movement which included José...
). Painted by Luna in 1887, the masterpiece is about the Battle of Lepanto
Battle of Lepanto (1571)
The Battle of Lepanto took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy League, a coalition of Catholic maritime states, decisively defeated the main fleet of the Ottoman Empire in five hours of fighting on the northern edge of the Gulf of Patras, off western Greece...
of October 7, 1571. The painting features Don Juan of Austria (also known as Don John of Austria) in battle while at the bow of a ship. It is one of the “huge epic canvasses” painted by Luna (the others are the Spoliarium
Spoliarium
The Spoliarium is a painting by Filipino artist Juan Luna. The painting was submitted by Luna to the Exposición Nacional de Bellas Artes in 1884, where it garnered a gold medal. In 1886, it was sold to the Diputación Provincial de Barcelona for 20,000 pesetas...
and The Blood Compact
The Blood Compact
The Blood Compact is an award-winning 1886 “historic and historical” painting by Filipino painter and hero Juan Luna.-Description:...
). The painting is also known as The Battle of Lepanto of 1571.
Historical significance
By becoming the First Filipino to win the first of the three gold medals during the Exposicion General de Bellas Artes (National Exposition of Fine Arts) in MadridMadrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in 1884 for his Spoliarium painting, Luna became famous and obtained commissions from the Spanish government
Spanish Government
Spain is a constitutional monarchy whose government is defined by the Constitution of Spain. This was approved by a general referendum of the people of Spain in 1978...
to create other canvasses. Although Luna decided to move from Madrid to Paris, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in October 1884, he had to travel back and forth the two places 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
Peuple et Rois is the French title of an 1892 painting by award-winning Filipino painter and hero 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 United States, but the plan was aborted due to a...
and España y Filipinas
España y Filipinas
España y Filipinas, meaning “Spain and the Philippines” in translation, is an 1886 oil on wood by Filipino painter, ilustrado, propagandist, and paladin, Juan Luna. It is an allegorical depiction of two women together, one a representation of Spain and the other of the Philippines...
. It was the Spanish Senate
Spanish Senate
The Senate of Spain is the upper house of Spain's parliament, the . It is made up of 264 members: 208 elected by popular vote, and 56 appointed by the regional legislatures. All senators serve four-year terms, though regional legislatures may recall their appointees at any time.The last election...
, through the influence of King Alfonso XII of Spain
Alfonso XII of Spain
Alfonso XII was king of Spain, reigning from 1874 to 1885, after a coup d'état restored the monarchy and ended the ephemeral First Spanish Republic.-Early life and paternity:Alfonso was the son of Queen Isabella II of Spain, and...
, 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
Francisco Pradilla Ortiz was a prolific Spanish painter famous for creating historical scenes.He was born in Villanueva de Gállego, near Zaragoza in Aragon, and studied initially in Zaragoza and then transferred to the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando and the Academia de Acuarelistas...
’s 1878 grand-prize winning masterpiece La rendicion de granada (The Surrender of Granada). 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”. One year after, The Battle of Lepanto became a gold medalist during the 1888 Fine Arts Exhibition in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain. During the victory gathering of Filipinos in Madrid, Philippine national hero José Rizal
José Rizal
José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda , was a Filipino polymath, patriot and the most prominent advocate for reform in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. He is regarded as the foremost Filipino patriot and is listed as one of the national heroes of the Philippines by...
praised Luna and Hidalgo for their achievements, “mastery and nationalism” through a speech. Graciano Lopez Jaena
Graciano López Jaena
Graciano López Jaena was a Filipino journalist, orator, and revolutionary from Iloilo, well known for his written work, La Solidaridad....
, another Filipino hero, also gave Luna and Hidalgo a “congratulatory speech” for their success.
Description
Luna’s The Battle of Lepanto provides significance to the “SpanishSpanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
victory against the Turks
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
”. For this reason, the widow of King Alfonso XII of Spain, Queen Regent Maria Christina of Austria
Maria Christina of Austria
Maria Christina of Austria was Queen consort of Spain as the second wife of King Alfonso XII of Spain...
, 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. Both paintings are still currently displayed at the Madrid Senate Hall. 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.
External links
- A description of Juan Luna's The Battle of Lepanto painting, and of Juan Luna himself together with Félix Resurrección Hidalgo from Popular Science Monthly, Volume 55, page 474 at wikisource.org