Bryan Anthony C. Paraiso
Supervising Historic Sites Development Officer
Among Juan Luna’s celebrated works is España y Filipinas, with three known versions that depict the intricate colonial relationship between Spain and the Philippines. As a distinguished Filipino painter of the late 19th century, Luna created this allegorical painting to convey the nuanced themes of colonialism, identity, and cultural exchange.
The first version of España y Filipinas, painted in 1884, depicts two women in classical Greco-Roman attire, both crowned with golden laurel wreaths, ascending a gilded staircase. The matronly figure, dressed in a white tunic and wine-colored cloak, symbolizes Mother Spain. She gently guides a young, brown-skinned woman in a white tunic and blue cloak, representing the Philippines, toward a radiant light at the top of the steps. Bouquets of flowers and a verdant laurel wreath tied with the colors of the Spanish flag suggest harmony and victory, pointing to a promising and progressive future for the colonial relationship. This painting reflects the sentiments of the Filipino ilustrados, the educated elite who saw potential benefits in Spanish influence for the advancement of Filipino society. This version, once owned by Luna’s compatriot Pedro Paterno, is now housed in the National Gallery of Singapore, which acquired it in 2013.
España y Filipinas
1884, Oil on canvas
National Gallery Singapore, Singapore
The second version, commissioned by the Ministerio de Ultramar in 1888 and now owned by the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain, features distinct revisions from the 1884 version. Mother Spain is now dressed in a red, flouncy ball gown with one shoulder bared due to her décolleté top. The expressions of both figures are less idealized, with Spain appearing cold and distant as she perfunctorily leads the young Filipino woman, now dressed in a traditional baro (blouse), saya (skirt), and blue striped tapis (overskirt), toward a shining orb of light surrounded by an overcast sky. This suggests the turbulent realities of colonial rule and growing disillusionment among Filipinos. This version captures the complexity of the colonial experience, acknowledging the challenges and conflicts that accompanied the cultural and political exchanges between the two nations. It serves as a bridge between the initial optimism of the first painting and the eventual call for independence that would gain momentum in the following decades.
España llevando a la gloria a Filipinas
1888, Oil on canvas
Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain
The third version, now housed in the Lopez Museum and Library, was completed around the 1890s and appears to be a simpler rendition of the Prado version. Spain’s figure is dressed in a décolleté ball gown painted in a flat crimson hue with only a few hints of the dress’s folds. The young Filipino woman, still dressed in her diaphanous blouse and heavy indigo skirt, leans on Spain’s embracing arm at her waist. The stairs they ascend seem no longer gilded but rather like bright yellow ochre sandstone. The sky is brighter compared to the Prado version, yet the clouds are hazy and mist-like, conveying a sense of uncertainty about the future they are trudging toward. This version may reflect Luna’s evolving nationalist sentiment, evoking a growing realization that true progress and enlightenment could only be achieved through self-determination and liberation from colonial rule.
España Guiando a Filipinas
1890s, Oil on canvas
Lopez Museum and Library Maila, Philippines
Each version of España y Filipinas serves as a visual narrative of the changing attitudes toward colonialism and the quest for identity and autonomy. Luna’s artistic evolution mirrors the broader historical context of the Philippines’ struggle for independence. The paintings collectively encapsulate the transition from hopeful cooperation to critical reflection and, ultimately, to the assertion of national identity. Through his art, Juan Luna not only documented the historical and political shifts of his time but also contributed to the burgeoning sense of Filipino nationalism. His work remains a powerful reminder of the enduring impact of colonialism and the relentless pursuit of freedom and self-expression.