Acosta, Zeke Jofrey Angelo P.
“Spoliarium” by Juan Luna
Retrieved from: Spoliarium by Juan Luna (1884). | Painting, Old master, Art
The Spoliarium was purchased by Diputación Provincial de Barcelona in 1885, while it
was still in Paris. The painting was sold for 20,000 pesetas. Before the sale, this same artwork
was shown throughout Rome, Madrid, and Paris. Two years after arriving at the Museo del Arte
Moderno in Barcelona, the Spoliarium remained to be in place until it was then damaged by the
Spanish Civil war that occurred in the year 1937. Efforts were made to restore the painting - it
went to Madrid and stayed in place for about 18 years. In 1957, the process of restoring the
artwork was completed and it has been donated to the Philippines. Since the composition was
excessively huge, it must be broken into three pieces with each having its own container. Painter
Antonio Dumlao cleaned and relined the painting, while Carlos da Silva was in charge of the
architectural, farming, and mounting work (Spoliarium By Juan Luna Analysis, Description,
And Real Meaning, 2021).
"Spoliarium" produced provable success not just for Luna but also for his hometown - the
Philippines in 1884. The painting has been coined as one of the best-known paintings in the
country as it topped Spanish artists and the Madrid Exposition of Fine Arts - bringing home the
first-class medal, along with the pride of the Filipinos in arts and history. But what intrigues the
viewers of Luna's paintings more is how did he come up with the name "Spoliarium"?
Technically, every after combat, fallen gladiators were being thrown into the Roman Colosseum
basement named "Spoliarium", hence the name that Luna put into his art. Considered the largest
painting in the country, the 4.22x7.575-meter oil on canvas is currently on display in the
National Museum of Fine Arts (Prieto, 2020)
The painting depicted two dead gladiators being dragged by the Romans at the center.
Meanwhile, a lot of events were happening on the left side of the painting: scavengers were
eyeing the dead man's possession, while a Roman was struggling and protesting - as can be seen
from his clenched hand on the painting. On the right side, a woman who was mourning for his
beloved can be seen. Beside her is a man searching for a body despite the smoke enveloping their
visions. Undeniably, the painting is a pain to look at as it depicted the cruelty being experienced
by the gladiators under the Romans (Prieto, 2020). After the gladiators die, they were just
dumped in the basement as Romans take their possessions as if the dead were not once human
beings. Similarly, Juan Luna painted Spoliarium to symbolize the hardships of his fellow
Filipinos during the Spanish era (Dagelet, 2015).
As mentioned earlier, Spoliarium was a Latin word used to describe the Roman
Colosseum basement where the body of the dead gladiators are being dumped. Now, let us take a
look closely and analyze the world-class painting of Juan Luna: the Spoliarium. The painter,
Luna, used formal elements in his fine art. The first and most noticeable element that he used is
the line. The lines make up different images being portrayed in the painting. To further give
depth to his painting, he used shapes that are geometric and can form different kinds of objects -
thereby putting volume and mass as can be seen from the present figures in his painting.
However, shapes and lines are not appealing to the eye alone, which is why he also added light
and value to even put emphasis on the details and manipulate the contents that he wanted to give
emphasis. Lastly, the painting had a visual texture that he used in order to create an illusion that
would put stress on the characters in his painting - thereby making these characters seem realistic
(Dagelet, 2015).
Based on the principles of design that were depicted in Juan Luna's artwork, the painting
focused on unity and variety. Although different scenarios were present in the painting, Juan
Luna made sure that viewers get to see the painting as one whole story rather than random stories
of unfinished events. He also made sure that each component of the painting tells a story, that
would soon make the viewers contemplate and realize the essence of his paintings: that every
part of his artwork is deemed necessary to create a visual effect that would touch the hearts of the
viewers in awe. Completeness and variation are substantial in his painting, which is then
followed by a pictorial balance. The painter is clever as he made sure to balance every scenario
in the picture so that each side gets its own exposure. Aside from balance, emphasis on the focal
point was present in the painting. Technically, Juan Luna put an emphasis on the center of his
painting where gladiators were being dragged by the Romans without mercy. The rhythm was
also present as it gives its viewers the impression of sorrow and loss, and so are scale and
proportion. He made sure to let the viewers distinguish the hierarchy existing between the
Romans and the gladiators - and in our case, the Filipinos vs. the Spaniards. Lastly, Juan Luna, in
his two-dimensional painting, made sure to mix realistic art and representational art - one that
could not be done by regular artists alone. Truly, Juan Luna was living proof that Filipinos are
meant to shine in the field of arts.
Creating a powerful concept such as this painting gained the respect not only of the
Filipinos but also of the viewers who appreciate this kind of art. His clever mind worked with the
details, such as the use of lines to demonstrate power and stability. For example, vertical lines
that can be seen from the oppressors mean power and strength, while the horizontal lines from
the dead gladiators express serenity and response (Rivera, n.d.). Overall, analyzing this painting
requires great understanding of art as this painting is an epitome of a powerful and revolutionary
artwork.
The Spoliarium artwork will endlessly hold an influential spot in the Philippines’ treasure
of pure arts as it is an outstanding craftsmanship that talks about a weighty and controversial
issue. Centuries may have passed, but the impact of Juan Luna's painting will continuously etch
in the hearts of its viewers, as they reminisce the history of the Filipinos under the Spaniards.
References
Rivera, M. (n.d.). (Analysis and Interpretation). Retrieved from Scribd:
https://www.scribd.com/document/477951877/Spoliarium-by-Juan-Luna-Analysis-and-
Interpretation
Spoliarium By Juan Luna Analysis, Description, And Real Meaning. (2021, July 28). Retrieved
from Corner4men: https://corner4men.com/lifestyle/spoliarium-by-juan-luna-analysis-
description-and-real-meaning-ar229
Prieto, R. (2020, December 2). 'Spoliarium’ by Juan Luna (1884). Retrieved from lifestyle
inquirer: https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/375408/spoliarium-by-juan-luna-1884/
Dagelet, S. (2015, March 12). Retrieved from Medium:
https://medium.com/@shaynamaydagelet/spoliarium-by-juan-luna-6d13bffd1f58
