The National Museum of the Philippines is set to release a premium Beep card featuring Juan Luna's Una Bulaqueña.
Una Bulaqueña (1895) depicts a young woman from Bulacan, dressed in the elegant traje de mestiza, the traditional dress worn by many elites in the late 1800s.
The artwork, painted by Juan Luna, a Filipino master painter just before the Philippine Revolution, shows his shift from creating large historical scenes to more personal portraits that highlight Filipino identity and pride.
More than just a portrait, Una Bulaqueña reflects deeper meanings -- a woman's calm pose, graceful gestures, and national clothing symbolizing the strength of the Philippines, struggles of colonial society, and the growing desire of the Filipino people for freedom and nationhood.
Limited stocks of the premium Beep card are available starting 25 August at the National Museum of Fine Arts Shop, in celebration of National Heroes Day.