ACTIVITY : Subject and Content of Artworks

Name: Russbergh M. Justiniani DATE OF SUBMISSION: Feb.25, 2022

Course, Year and Section: BSED,1C
SUBJECT: Arts and Appreciation

Juan Luna. The Parisan Life.1892. Oil canvas. 57cm x 79 cm. National Museum of Fine Arts Manila.
REFERENCES
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Parisian_Life_(painting)
https://tawidnewsmag.com/cache-juan-luna-parisian-life/amp/
https://www.iias.asia/the-newsletter/article/art-historical-paral
lax-subject-spectacle-myth-ofin-juan-lunas-parisian-life
www.studocu.com/ph/document/pamantasan-ng-lungsod-ng-
maynila/bs-bio/parisian-life/12065703
DESCRIPTION
The title of this artwork was The Parisian Life or also know as “Interior d’Un Café” or
“Inside a Café”, feature an interior scene in a café with a woman seated prominently on a
banquette and three men at the far left corner. The women in the artwork was woman in
the Paris. She looks elegant with her dress and matching her hat. But if you study the
artwork, the meaning of her personality does not suit to her outfit. According to the
history of the artwork, the woman was prostitute and try to seduce the three men far left
to her.The artwork is a richly layered portrayal of contemporary social norms, gender
politics and national allegory. Formal and social analyses reveal a woman, believed to be
a prostitute, as the subject of the male gaze. Women in Paris were increasingly seen as a
threat to the status quo. If they did not conform to the traditional role of a femme
honnête (respectable woman), they were seen as the courtisane, or the prostitute. As a
dangerous woman, the prostitute bore the stigma of infecting men with venereal disease.
Elements of art are stylistic features that are included within an art piece to help the
artist communicate. And the artist used the seven most common elements include line,
shape, texture, form, space, color and value, with the additions of mark making, and
materiality. The medium or materials being used in the artwork are oil, canvas and paint.
The size are 20.94X29.72 in. (53X75.5 cm), According to National Museum of the
Philippines.
The artwork painted on 1892. Juan Luna y Novicio painted the artwork, 'Parisian Life.
He was born in Badoc. Ilocos Norte, on October 23, 1857, and died in British Hong
Kong on December 7, 1899. In the late 19th century, Juan Luna was a Filipino painter,
sculptor and political activist of the Philippine Evolution, and he became one of the first
Philippine artists to be known. Becoming his first mentor, Don Lorenzo Guerrero
persuaded his parents to send him to Spain. He took private lessons there under Alejo
Vera, a renowned contemporary Spanish painter. In Rome, Alejo Vera took Luna and
opened himself to the immortal works of the masters of the Renaissance.Model is a
person who poses or a person who inspired by the imagination of one artist in the
painting or sculptor that will create. And Juan Luna create a model that portrayed a
scene inside the café in Paris with a woman identified as courtesan or prostitute
representing “fallen womanhood ” who was about to rise from a sofa overshadowing
three men placed at the left corner of the painting.

ANALYSIS
Luna used unique features for his artwork to make it stand from the other painter or
from the artwork of others. The artwork also an inspiration to make it more unique. 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 jealousy, Lune killed
his wife and his mother-in-law . Luna also attempted to kill his brother-in-law . This are
the inspiration why Luna created the artwork named The Parisian Life. Style is a
distinctive appearance, typically determined by the principles according to which is
something is designed. Juan Luna used different style for his artworks. Like dark colors
of the academic palette and became increasingly lighter in color and mood.
Aside from the inspiration of that artwork, the techniques used to become unique are
colors, shapes, lines, dots, and even the combination of two colors and it blended. It
gives to the artwork the realistic effects that you can see if you look carefully the
artwork. The elements are being organize properly because it shows the image of woman
and the three men in her left side. Woman ‘s image consist of different colors like gray,
black ,brown and more. The objects in the artwork looks realistic like tables, chairs, and
windows. The principles of design and organization are utilized because the lines,
shapes, colors and style drew properly and it is easy to recognize because of that. And it
is easy to know what is the subject being used.
The objects in the artwork are couch, pillow, glass, tables, chairs, flower vase and
cabinet. To make it realistic, Juan Luna the artist used different colors to them to make it
accurate and realistic in every objects in the artwork. Also the way that the artist blend
the colors are very awesome.It portrayed a scene inside a café in Paris with a woman
identified as a courtesan or a prostitute representing "fallen womanhood", who was about
to rise from a sofa overshadowing three men placed at the far left corner of the arwork.
Apart from the prominent figure of the female wearing a pale lavender frock and a hat
embellished with flowers, fronted by two glasses of beers and an empty beer mug
belying a "company of men", The Parisian Life portrayed a glimpse of Luna's own life in
the capital of France while accompanied by two close friends.
INTERPRETATION
The artwork expressive quality is quiet soft and if you can see, it portrays soft woman
with her elegant and classic attire and the artwork serves calm expression to all the
viewers of it. Luna would be “caught up in dramatic events” that lead to a “heroic path”,
The Parisian Life has a “playful” and “relaxed mood” that does not provide “the slightest
hint of the tumultuous happenings to come” in Luna's personal life. It portrayed a scene
inside a café in Paris with a woman identified as a courtesan or a prostitute representing
"fallen womanhood", who was about to rise from a sofa overshadowing three men
placed at the far left corner of the painting. The painted illustration captured the
gathering of three significant personas and heroes in Philippine History having a
discussion about the Philippines “on the eve of momentous events” during the
springtime in Paris. The three gentlemen dressed in European garb – top hats and coats –
at the left of the image are Luna himself, José Rizal, and Ariston Bautista Lin, who were
on an “expedition” during a casual evening in a café believed to be named as Maxim’s,
brimming with self-confidence while enjoying a moment inside the café. They were
described as Filipino gentlemen who “embraced Western lifestyle while remaining
Filipino at heart.”
According to Prof. Zerrudo also revealed that the painting can be interpreted in three
ways, by literal and popular interpretation where the lady sitting in the sofa was
identified as a flirt and prostitute, by tragic and biographical interpretation which
discusses the personal experience of Luna with his wife who had an affair with another
man, and by symbolic interpretation where Zerrudo mentioned that the woman in the
painting has a “geographical likeness” to the mirror-image of the archipelago of the
Philippines. The artwork interpret about the contemporary social norms, gender politics
and national allegory. Formal and social analyses reveal a woman, believed to be a
prostitute, as the subject of the male gaze. Women in Paris were increasingly seen as a
threat to the status quo. If they did not conform to the traditional role of a respectable
woman, they were seen as the courtesan, or the prostitute. As a dangerous woman, the
prostitute bore the stigma of infecting men with venereal disease.
JUDGEMENT
Every painting or artworks has its own uniqueness, styles , forms, designs, structures
and inspiration. The Parisian Life which painted by Juan Luna was presented ad show
all the ideas that I said above. This artwork also have a strong aesthetic qualities that we
can find in the artwork. The content also good because after I study the artwork, I
learned about the artwork. It is about the women become prostitute and you can see it
first, you will not recognize the artwork that it is about that. But when you study it, you
will know and you will know the story behind of it. The context also good. The artist
used different shade of colors, wide of lines, size of shapes, and number of dots. For me
yes, it have a strong aesthetic vale and artistic merit. It is unique from the other artworks.
Of course , the art pieces are very important in painting. It is important because it tells
the detailed being used and if you will combine all the pieces, you will create an artwork
and of course your subject too.The issues under this artwork is about the woman
identified as a courtesan or a prostitute representing "fallen womanhood", who was about
to rise from a sofa overshadowing three men placed at the far left corner of the painting.
Apart from the prominent figure of the female wearing a pale lavender frock and a hat
embellished with flowers, fronted by two glasses of beers and an empty beer mug
belying a "company of men". It shows a contemporary social norms, gender politics and
national allegory. The word respect is also involved in this artwork.
For me not really effective. Because if you don’t know the story behind that artwork,
you will curios. After I studied the artwork, then I know the story behind of the artwork.
And it is about prostitution. Maybe because the artist wants to curios his audience about
his works. So he can’t put some ideas about the painting. Maybe yes, it change my
perspective about art and its role in the society. How? Because it is hard to guess on what
is the message of the painting. I realized that doing or creating paintings are not easy.
You need to consider some things that may affect your works. Like the color you will
use, the shapes that accurate to your work and more. Also I realized that all of the
paintings have meaning that wants to inform to us. All you have to do is study it and you
will know. But overall, the artwork of Juan Luna is great and unique. I love his work and
it gives lesson in me.