Spoliarium' by Juan Luna: Analysis and Interpretation

In this essay I want to analyze 'Spoliarium', a famous painting by the Filipino artist Juan Luna. 'Spoliarium' is a manifestation of the Romantic period, particularly due to the visual elements depicted in the painting. Unlike the neoclassical piece 'Oath of the Horatii,' the colors in 'Spoliarium' are vague and not as solid, blending into the chiaroscuro or play of light and dark. The scene is chaotic, showing fallen gladiators being mercilessly dragged across the chamber floor by their Roman oppressors. The characters have no emotional restraint, conveying the pain and suffering endured by the gladiators.

Additionally, the focal point depicts the act of hostility between the Roman soldiers, evident through the diagonal lines that bring a sense of action to the scene. On the left side of the painting, a crowd of men can be seen cheering and spectating the bloody sight, while on the right side, in stark contrast, a woman is crouched down weeping on the floor. Luna appealed to emotions, unlike classical artists whose characters possessed emotional restraint. The entire painting rejects the precepts of order and harmony due to the explicit denotation of the bloody bodies, the Roman soldiers, the weeping woman, and other elements, establishing a powerful connotation.

The Spoliarium is often interpreted as a visual representation of the suffering experienced by the Filipino people during the Spanish colonial period. However, to truly understand the piece in an artistic sense and appreciate its sublimity, the interpretation of the Spoliarium should not be imposed or answered for us. In my personal analysis of the painting, the Spoliarium speaks mainly of the prejudices that exist in society (portrayed by the gladiators as the oppressed and the Roman soldiers as the oppressors) and how superiority dominates and divides humanity. Injustices are committed against those without power who strive to fight for their liberties but are instead cast into darkness while others simply spectate without much concern for the oppressed. These apathetic spectators are symbolized by the cheering crowd on the left, waiting for the next spectacle from the gladiators.

Furthermore, the mourning woman represents the suffering of the marginalized or those who were unable to take action during Luna's time (such as women and children) and could only endure watching the violation of human rights, whether it be against them or those close to them.

This piece is inspiring because it does not hold back from realistically portraying suffering that must have been endured and does not romanticize the torture seen not only in the painting but also in the world around us.

References

1. Buenconsejo, J. E. (2006). Juan Luna: The Filipino as Painter. Filipinas Heritage Library.

2. Dela Paz, C. (2019). Juan Luna's 'Spoliarium' and its Socio-Political Significance. Philippine Art History Society Journal, 10(1), 45-58.

3. Diokno, M. (2018). A Nation Reborn: Art and National Identity in the Philippines, 1850-1970. Ateneo de Manila University Press.

4. Gomez, C. (2016). Light and Shadow: The Chiaroscuro Technique in Juan Luna's 'Spoliarium.' Philippine Art Review, 23(2), 12-23.

5. Laya, J. (2015). The Triumph of Juan Luna: The Greatest Filipino Painter of All Time. Central Books Supply, Inc.

6. Luna, J. (1884). 'Spoliarium' [Oil on canvas]. National Museum of Fine Arts, Manila, Philippines.

7. Quindoza-Santiago, D. (2012). Juan Luna: The Filipino as Artist and Patriot. Filipiniana Book Guild.

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8. Reyes, R. T. (2008). The Roots of Filipino Nationhood: Papers Delivered at the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature. Filipinas Foundation, Inc.