1. Val Anthony A. Salas Soc Sci 1
E2j-BSEE 11:00am-12:pm
In October of 1884, Luna moved to Paris and began the second, and more beguiling period of his artistic
work. His style began to move away from the dark colours of the academic palette and became increasingly
lighter in colour and mood. This post-academic, or Parisian period, would continue until the artist's abrupt
departure from the French capital in February 1893.
During this 8 year in Paris, Luna painted Ensueqos de Amor (1886) which depicted the artist's wife
intimately as she lay in bed seemingly oblivious to the artist's gaze, a work that demonstrated 'Luna at his
spontaneous best' (Juan T. Gatbonton, Jeannie E. Javelosa and Lourdes Ruth R Roa ed., Art Philippines,
The Crucible Workshop, Manila, 1992, p.65).
It was also during this period when Luna, alongside Dr. Jose Rizal (the Philippines' national hero), would
be most active in the Philippines' Propaganda Movement. It included other prominent, young Filipino
emigris, including Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin, who would work tirelessly for reforms under Spanish colonial
rule. These were halcyon years for Philippines arts and letters, with Dr. Jose Rizal writing two of his most
celebrated novels at this time, Noli me Tangere (Touch me not) in 1886, for which Luna contributed 21
illustrations, and El Filibusterismo (The Reign of Greed) in 1891. Luna was again at the pinnacle of his
career, a renowned artist on the European continent and also a familiar of the French and Spanish royal
courts. The friendship among Luna, Rizal, and Bautista Lin is evidenced by their collected exchange of
letters, which documented as well their frequent gatherings in Paris (including fencing sessions in the
backyard of Luna's Paris home.)
Parisian Life, (also known as Interior d'un Cafi) dated in 1892 is a work from this distinctive period. Even
more importantly, it dates fro the last year of Luna's own Parisian life, painted barely a few months before
the artist would be caught up in dramatic events that would climax in September 1892.
The playful, relaxed mood of the work Parisian Life, does not give the slightest hint of the tumultuous
happenings to come in the artist's life, nor of the heroic paths all three men would take. Instead, it depicts a
delicious slice of the artist's personal Parisian life, capturing an expedition with two of his closest friends
for a casual evening in a cafi, possibly Maxim's. Dr. Josi Rizal is depicted with his back half-turned, his
distinctive profile making him unmistakable. Luna sits jauntily in the center while Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin,
sits closest to the lady, betraying the most vivid expression of the three. It is springtime in Paris, as
suggested by the pale lavender of the woman's frock and the flowers in her hat. Certainly, it is a moment of
happiness and contentment for the three gentlemen.
In just a few short months after Parisian Life would be painted, Dr. Jose Rizal and Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin
would have departed for the Philippines to play out their roles in the Philippines Revolution. In February
1893, Luna himself would depart for Madrid and from there also return to his home country.
Hence, Parisian Life is possibly the last major work of Luna from this period. After his return to Manila in
1894, he traveled more often than painted, finishing only a handful of Philippines landscapes. In 1896, all
three would be swept up in the outbreak of the war for independence. Rizal would meet his glorious destiny
as a martyr of the Philippines Revolution and pass into history as the Philippines' most beloved hero.
Luna would return to France in 1898, appointed by the Philippines revolutionary government as member of
the Parisian delegation working for the diplomatic recognition of the Philippines Republic. He would die
unexpectedly in Hong Kong in 1899, en route to the Philippines.
Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin would become a clinical physician of some renown, and would continue his
financial support of the Katipunan (the secret society founded to secure independence from Spain), the

2. Philippines Revolution and, afterwards the ensuing Philippines-American War. He would continue his role
as influential confidante to succeeding generations of Filipino political figures.
In the larger context of history, Parisian Life is therefore also a significant work, capturing a last gathering
of great Filipinos on the eve of momentous events.
Parisian Life encapsulates the intangible ideas of the Filipino national consciousness. The painter, novelist
and doctor were above all avant-garde thinkers of their time. Dressed in European top hats and coats, with
an air of exuberant self-confidence as they enjoy a moment in a Parisian cafi, the 3 gentlemen have
embraced the Western lifestyle while remaining passionately Filipino at heart.
While it is inevitable to perceive the work as a striking cultural and historical artifact, Parisian Life, even if
it did not contain intimate portraits of the Philippines' national heroes, is a work of art of rare intrinsic
beauty.
Set in the far left corner of the painting, the men are seemingly overshadowed by the prominent figure of
the lady. An indefatigable painter of women, the artist was an enthusiastic observer of the fairer sex, with a
keen eye for their elusive psychology and an obviously sensitive insight into their fragility and strength,
happiness or solemnity. A mood of intimacy is further established with the masterfully rendered details of a
deserted hat and cape, the pulled-out chair and the inquisitive glance from the top-hatted gentleman.
Parisian Life offers the best features of the artist's work from the Paris period, testifying to his sensitivity
and skill in capturing a fleeting moment of ordinary life, and imbuing it with personality and universal
emotions.
Interestingly, the painting was illustrated in the book, Juan Luna, The Filipino as Painter published in 1980
by the Eugenio Lopez Foundation and was then recorded as 'Whereabouts unknown'.
The work was known to have been publicly exhibited only once before this current presentation at
Christie's, at the St. Louis Exposition (World's Fair) of 1904 where it was bestowed a silver medal.
Parisian Life has remained an elusive treasure of impeccable provenance, having remained in the hands of
the original owner, Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin, and his family for over a century since it was painted.
Measuring 57 cm x 79 cm (22 in x 31 in), [3] The Parisian Life is one of the masterpieces that Luna created
when he stayed in Paris, France from October 1884 to February 1893. His own personal “Parisian life” was
a total of eight years. This period in Luna’s career in painting is known as the post-academic or the Parisian
period, a time when his style moved away from having “dark colors of the academic palette” and became
“increasingly lighter in color and mood”. As an artist, Luna became renowned on the European continent
and became “a familiar of the French and Spanish royal courts”. During the period, apart from his
heightening artistry Luna was also participating in the Philippine propaganda movement together with José
Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines. Months after painting The Parisian Life, Luna would be
departing from Paris to Madrid, Spain then to the Manila, Philippines in 1894 in order to rejoin Rizal and
Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin, and perform his role in the Philippine Revolution and war of independence in
1896.During this time, Luna also had to deal with the death of an infant daughter and the alleged extra-
marital affair of his wife Paz Pardo de Tavera with a French physician. Because of jealousy, Luna killed his
wife and his mother-in-law. Luna also attempted to kill his brother-in-law. A French court charged Luna
for committing a "crime of passion"[2] but was acquitted of parricide and murder on February 7, 1893.
The Parisian Life is regarded as the last major work Luna did during his post-academic and life in Paris
because from 1894 Luna travelled frequently that he was only able to paint a few number of landscapes in
the Philippines. When Luna returned to France in 1898, he was an appointed member of the delegation in
Paris representing the Philippine revolutionary government tasked to work for the diplomatic recognition of
the Philippines as an independent Republic. In 1899, Luna died in Hong Kong while on the way back to the
Philippines.