Not just anyone

Juan Luna was a complex and troubled man. He was a brilliant artist and a passionate nationalist, but he was reportedly also quick to anger and violence like his assassinated brother, General Antonio Luna.

In 1892, Luna killed his wife in a fit of rage, reportedly after she accused him of infidelity. Others had claimed that he killed her and her mother out of jealousy.

Luna was acquitted of the charges, but the scandal tarnished his reputation and led to his exile from the Philippines. He died in Hong Kong in 1899, still haunted by the events of that fateful day.

Born in Badoc, Ilocos Norte on 23 October 1857, Luna was the third of seven children of Joaquín Luna de San Pedro y Posadas and Laureana Novicio y Ancheta.

Luna was influenced by the works of Spanish masters such as Francisco de Goya and Diego Velázquez. In 1884, Luna won the gold medal for painting at the Exposición Nacional de Bellas Artes in Madrid for his painting, Spoliarium.

This painting depicts the aftermath of a gladiatorial contest in the Roman Colosseum. It is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of Philippine art.

Luna's other notable paintings include The Death of Cleopatra, España y Filipinas, Parisian Life, La Inspiración and the recently discovered Hymen, oh Hymenee! He also sculpted a number of works, including the bust of Rizal.

Luna was a vocal critic of Spanish rule in the Philippines. In 1892, he was involved in the Propaganda Movement, a group of Filipino intellectuals who sought reforms in the Spanish colonial government. In 1896, he was arrested for his involvement in the Philippine Revolution and was exiled to Hong Kong.

Luna died in Hong Kong on 7 December 1899, at the age of 42. He was buried in the Manila North Cemetery.