It’s a pity that I read about this explanation just recently. I didn’t even know that there exist an article such as this one. There are so many attacks on the Luna painting then, but sad to say I am not equipped with enough knowledge nor arms to quell the tirades. Moreso, this Parisian Life thing, in so far as I am concerned is quite subliminal and really, really needs a lot of research.

Truthfully, out of curiosity, I was tinkering on the google website one cold lazy afternoon for the activities lined-up at the GSIS museum since I am now here in Georgia, USA. I was totally stunned and jerked by the article not that I know Eric Zerrudo personally because he is a former colleague at my former office(I retired just recently) (Mr. Zerrudo is a jolly good friend of mine that I truly miss) but because of what you wrote is magnificently convincing, and the resulting factor? it gave me influx of a fuller view and spectrum of the real meaning of the Parisian Life. It downed on me now that everything about the article it not an issue of how much the painting costs… but what is the stark reality of what is hidden and interticially intertwined in the painting done by our famous Juan Luna. I feel proud of our Filipino heritage. And while reading the article, I can’t help imagining myself seated near the lady in the Parisian life, of course not as a model, too, but just a kibitzer, ogling at Rizal, et. al. Again Kudos to you, don’t lose hope, continue writing about arts who knows, art patrons and experts/enthusiasts might bump into this article while exploring the google just like me and you know how fast word-of-mouth spreads …. Thanks a lot dearie. God bless.

Sincerely,

Rosalinda A. Villano
Atlanta, Georgia USA

Thank you for the kind words. I’m happy it helped you; I also hope you tell your friends that this essay is online.

Sigh. If readers like you could only send your kind words back in time, to me in 2004, when I was most demoralized, maybe I wouldn’t have quit art writing altogether. But back then, too few readers cared enough about art, or my strange, contrarian role in it. Sigh.

First, let me congratulate you for a well-explained, researched and thought provoking article, now that I’m enlightened with your article, I feel proud that I am a “kababayan of Juan Luna”. I’ve known in my history books that Juan Luna is a painter during Rizal’s time and that he painted the Spolarium that wowed the Europeans during his time. With your article my
knowledge about Juan Luna widened as well as the Parisian Life painting. During the days that people are cursing GSIS for buying such an expensive painting, I could only say - it’s our country’s heritage in jest. With your article, I can now rebute anybody’s tirade about the painting. Kudos for the effort you have exerted in explaining every bit of what is supposed to be learned about Juan Luna and his paintings. Now its not the only Juan Luna St. in Binondo that I thoroughly know. I know more now of the real Juan Luna. Thanks a lot.