Nash Renzo Judiel A. Nadal
BSIT-II
ARTS 22
“THE PARISIAN LIFE”
Juan Luna's painting "The Parisian Life" encapsulates the social and cultural facets of Parisian
society in the 19th century. The picture shows a scene of pleasure and leisure while highlighting
the stylish clothes, accessories, and pastimes of the affluent. The rich colors, minute details, and
realistic depiction of the figures used by Luna in the painting lend to its sophistication and
beauty. The elaborate chandelier and other ornamental elements, as well as the characters'
attention to detail in their attire and accessories, reflect the riches and affluence of Parisian
society. The theme of "The Parisian Life" represents Luna's exposure to academic French art as
well as his time spent living and studying in Paris. The artwork exemplifies Luna's talent for
capturing the social mores and cultural quirks of the societies he lived in.
The painting's representation of leisure activities is notable because it illustrates how
important entertainment and leisure were to the upper class of Paris. As the characters in the
picture are shown indulging in ostentatious behaviors and material belongings, like the three
prominent figures and heroes from Philippine history were gathered and depicted in the painting
talking about the country. Kawit, Cavite, the location of the birth of the Philippine Independence
in 1898, is precisely where a birth takes place. The three gentlemen, who are Luna himself, José
Rizal, and Ariston Bautista Lin, are clad in European attire—top hats and coats—and exude an
aura of opulent self-assurance as they sit in a Parisian Cafe. The three men have adopted a
Western way of life while still being fiercely Filipino at heart. It is also depicted in the scene
inside a café in Paris with a woman characterized as a courtesan or prostitute standing over three
men positioned in the painting's far left corner as a symbol of "fallen womanhood." She
appeared to be seated like the nation's inverted islands. That woman represents the Philippines,
our motherland. Although she was dressed in pink and white to represent the country's purity, her
provocative seated position shows mistreatment from its colonists. People thought the black
turtleneck was a rope dragging the woman up. For experts, the fact that she was being hanged
represented the lack of freedom in the nation at the time. The look of the mug and the cap in the
artwork led the experts to assume that the woman was with someone—possibly a Spaniard. She
also tried not to let her unhappiness with her current situation show on her face.
In conclusion, Juan Luna's "The Parisian Life" is a masterwork that displays the artist's
brilliance and technique as well as the cultural and social values of 19th-century Parisian society.
The painting is a significant piece of art in the history of Philippine painting because of the vivid
colors, precise details, and realistic depiction of the figures that convey the sophistication and
elegance of the Parisian upper class. And, a significant work, capturing a last gathering of great
Filipinos on the eve of momentous events.