I found myself with a free lazy Saturday afternoon, decided to drop by an exhibit at Instituto Cervantes, and spontaneously go to the National Art Gallery in Manila as well, a place I should have visited before any other place in the world.
Jose Joya (and a little of Manansala)
Potential
A gallery of recently acquired Juan Luna personal paintings,
some by his son Andres.
My favorite one. I think this was by Andres Luna.
Juan Luna's mother
And FINALLY...
Spoliarium, by Juan Luna, my main reason for visiting!
Marco had been bugging me to see this since I got back from my Spain trip and told him about all the museums and paintings there. Just the enormity of the piece was so daunting. I tried approached it to see details clearer, but the light would just reflect and I think I only came up to the Roman soldier's foot. At the moment I stood before it, I was filled with wonder, with awe. How can one paint something as big as this? How can one paint something as big, as detailed, as dark, as meaningful, as scary and as beautiful at the same time? When I was in Spain, I would say that if I lived there, I would visit my favorite museums on my birthday, just to see my favorite paintings. I think I will start a tradition this year to visit the Spoliarium every year, on my birthday or sometime near it. No picture can ever do justice to its grandeur. And I will have to go back every time I want to see such wonder again.
A gallery of unfinished Amorsolos!
Marco peeking into more construction areas
A gallery someday, maybe?
Manuel L. Quezon greets us goodbye (and hello, for that matter!)
When I got home, all I did was google more National Artists and find which local museums had them on exhibit. I can't wait to find another lazy Saturday to visit them all! :-)
Before I forget, the small photo exhibit I originally went to the Manila area to see:
The real Guernica vs. Picasso's Guernica
It's Antoine de Saint-Exupéry!
