Andal, Leslie Ann B.

BSED English 1202

Xiao Time: INTERPRETATIONS OF “PARISIAN LIFE” BY

JUAN LUNA

1. Three interpretations of Parisian life that are presented in Xiao Time

GSIS Museum Director Eric Zerrudo suggests that there are three possible
interpretation of the work.
 The first interpretation is literal; the woman was a prostitute who drew the three Filipino
patriots' attention as they were having a conversation about national issues in the cafe.
It's noteworthy to notice that the three guys in the artwork are Ariston Bautista-Lin, Juan
Luna, and Jose Rizal (rear view). It depicts a brief moment shared between him and his
two closest friends on a relaxed evening in a cafe. Jose Rizal, Ariston Lim, and he are the
three guys seated on the left side of Luna while he paints. Luna and Ariston Lim are
seated with their backs to the woman, while Rizal is portrayed with his back turned.The
woman's dress, which is a pale lavender, and the flowers on her hat give away the
painting's season for being spring. For the three men, this is undoubtedly a happy and
contented time. They are unmistakably shadowed by a striking figure of a woman who is
positioned in the painting's extreme left corner. Luna is renowned as a tireless painter of
ladies. According to rumors, he paid prostitutes to serve as his sometimes-naked models
for his paintings. These women want a far lower "talent" price than regular, educated
women.

 The second interpretation is biographical; it says that Luna's familial issues are referred
to in the picture. Juan Luna's personal life was in a poor state at the time Parisian Life
was painted in 1892. Apart with his wife's suspected affair with a French doctor, Luna
was also dealing with the death of his young daughter. The coat on the sofa and the half-
empty beer cup on the table in front of the woman might be seen as suggestive symbols.
He was convicted of murdering his wife and his in-laws after becoming involved. The
picture represented his refuge, and the lady stood in for his wife. 

 The lady in the picture could be meant to represent the Philippines, according to
Zerrudo's third interpretation of it, as her shape implies a mirror reflection of the
Philippine archipelago. While she is dressed in pink and white to represent the country's
purity, her provocative seated position shows mistreatment from its colonists. The
assembly of three notable figures and heroes from Filipino history talking about the
country is shown in the picture. The woman resembles the form of the Philippines on a
map since the edge of her dress roughly resembles Sulu and her waist is located at the
country's smallest region. The "Parisian Life" by Juan Luna, which depicts the final
convocation of notable Filipinos on the eve of historic events, is a significant work. It
offers an insight into the past while also reflecting the true value of our country. Young
Filipinos in particular should respect this painting as a part of our legacy since it opens
their eyes, aids in the nation's puzzle-solving process, and maintains the Filipino soul's
flame.

2. Is there any depiction that is clearly exaggerated? Can you say that as a form of bias?

 "Parisian Life," a painting by Juan Luna, is a window into the past and a reflection of the
value of our country. That is clearly in the artist's advantage because they were able to
say a lot about a very simple subject in a very small amount of time. The woman's
 refined face, her waistline, and the second interpretation concerning his mistrust of his
wife, Paz, are accentuated in the artwork. The bloody incident didn't occur until several
months after the work was completed and presented to Bautista-Lin. The friend of Luna
failed to understand the meaning and disregarded the artwork as commonplace.
 The lady does not resemble Paz, which would have made it challenging for Lin to
understand the painting's mysterious message and stop the crime from being committed,
might serve as evidence for this claim. The woman appeared to be under stress, which
was further indicated by the dark neck and window joint line, which made it appear as
though the woman was being strangled. The tragedy resulted from Lin and Rizal's failure
to understand Lin or Rizal's state of mind.
 Since he was envious of his wife Paz, Juan Luna painted the woman in a biased manner.
Students studying fine arts proposed the theory that the woman represents the Philippine
archipelago in reverse, giving certain areas of her body to different provinces or
groupings of provinces.
 As Juan Luna is working to raise Filipinos' awareness of the need to stand up for
ourselves and fight for our rights, it is firmly in the Philippines' favor. Although the
woman is dressed in pink and white to represent the country's purity, her suggestive
seating position shows mistreatment from its colonizers. The amounts of beers on the
table were seen as demonstrating how the Spanish abused the nation, while the coat and
hat on the sofa represent the Western way of life. The woman's back was pointed at the
newspaper that described how the French Revolution had inspired the Philippines.

3. Based on the guidelines in the content analysis of the important historical information
found in the painting, write a historical context of this primary source.

 This painting from the early 19th century provides insight into the attitudes of both
Spanish colonizers and Filipino nationalists at a pivotal moment in Philippine history
during the beginnings of the Philippine Revolution against Spanish colonial rule. The
painting serves as a reminder of the perseverance, courage, and determination of the
Filipino people to gain freedom and justice, as well as an important illustration of how
art can be used to document a particular moment in history. This was a period of hope
and optimism for the Filipino people as they sought freedom and liberation, but it was
also fraught with danger, uncertainty, and the looming possibility of harsh retribution
from their colonial oppressors if they failed to achieve their goals. The woman in the
painting appears to be reflecting on the events of the French Revolution, which was a
major inspiration for Filipino nationalists who sought to overthrow Spanish colonial rule
and create a new, more equitable society. As the painting reflects, this was a moment of
great courage and hope, but also one of fear and uncertainty, as the Filipinos sought to
free themselves from Spanish rule and create a new society based on freedom, justice,
and equality.