Parisian Life by Juan Luna

When I visited Bahay Nakpil (Quiapo Manila), I was surprised to learn that this famous and very expensive painting by Juan Luna used to hang on its wall.  The exact spot where the Parisian Life used to grace the Bahay Nakpil during its glory days is now occupied by a replica of the painting.

If you want to see the original of the Parisian Life take time to visit the National Museum - a jeepney ride away from Bahay Nakpil. The time and effort you will spend just to see the original of this painting is worth it. Imagine seeing a painting with your very own eyes as seen by Jose Rizal himself. It is as if you walked into the past and feel what Rizal felt the first time he saw Luna's Parisian Life.

"Parisian Life (also known as Interior d'un Cafe), dated 1892 is a work from this distinctive period. Even more importantly, it dates from the last year of Luna's own Parisian Life, painted barely a few months before the artist would be caught up in dramatic events that would climax in September 1892.

The playful, relaxed mood of the work Parisian Life does not give the slightest hint of the tumultuous happenings to come in the artist's life, nor of the heroic paths all three men would take. Instead, it depicts a delicious slice of the artist's personal Parisian Life, capturing an expedition with two of his closest friends for a casual evening in a cafe, possible Maxim's.  Dr. Jose Rizal is depicted with his back half-turned, his distinctive profile making him unmistakable. Luna sits jauntily in the center, while Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin sits closest to the lady betraying the most vivid expression of the three. It is Springtime in Paris, as suggested by the Pale lavender of the woman's frock and the flowers in her hat. Certainly, it is a moment of happiness and contentment for the three gentlemen.

In just a few short months after Parisian Life would be painted, Dr.  Jose Rizal and Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin would have departed for the Philippines to play out their roles in the Philippines Revolution. In February 1893, Luna himself would depart for Madrid and from there also return to his home country.

Hence, Parisian Life is possibly the last major work of Luna from this period. After his return to Manila in 1894, he traveled more often than painted, finishing only a handful of Philippine landscapes. In 1896, all three would be swept up in the outbreak of the war for independence."