This is the first time this painting, which won bronze at the Universal Expo in Paris in 1889, is being viewed in public since it won the award 134 years ago. I was the lucky few who got to view it early.

It was a feat for an indio from Islas Filipinas—considered a barbarian race by the Europeans—to have won something on the world stage. We were looked down upon by the Europeans and yet we beat some of their masters during this expo. The Filipino illustrados in Europe like José Rizal were so proud that a compatriot brought the little archipelagic nation on the map.

It’s much smaller than the Spoliarium by Luna, which won gold at the Exposición Nacional de Bellas Artes in Madrid in 1884. It was the same contest where Felix Hidalgo won silver medal for his Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho.

Luna didn’t intend to submit Hymen to this contest; he created this because he was so high and in love with his wife during their honeymoon. It was just in his private collection. You could see the gentleness in each female figure and you could almost feel the textures of the clothes, the marble floor, the coldness of the pillars. According to our guide, Luna created this from his imagination.

Braving the heavy traffic at SLEX and Skyway this morning was worth it because I got the chance to view this in a semi-private tour and I didn’t have to contend with a lot of people taking selfies.

Of course I had to buy the print and have it framed. I just don’t know where to put it in my house.

Then I got another Juan Luna. I think I will hang it in the bathroom.

And I couldn’t resist this Fernando Amorsolo. Twin A and I were fighting over this. She wanted to stick this to her wall while I want this in the bathroom.