Matagal na hindi nasilayan ng publiko ang isa sa mga obra maestra ni Juan Luna, ang Hymen, oh Hyménée!
Makalipas ang 132 taon, naibalik sa Pilipinas ang nawawalang painting sa unang pagkakataon.
Isa ang magazine editor na si Jerome Gomez sa unang nakasulyap sa Hymen, oh Hyménée! ni Luna na naka-display ngayon sa Ayala Museum.
Ayon sa Facebook post ni Jerome noong June 9, 2023, “Jaime Ponce de Leon surprised the art world tonight by unboxing a long-lost Juan Luna. And what a Luna—joyful and sensual and magnificent.”
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Paglalarawan niya sa obra ni Luna, “Painted during a period characterized by artistic achievement and romantic excitement. An oil on canvas work called Hymen, oh Hymeénée, it was last seen in public 132 years ago in Paris.
“And all this time it was hiding inside a European aristocrat’s residence until @jaimepdeleon acquired it some years back and brought it home.”
Ang Hymen, oh Hymeénée! ay inakalang nasira na noong panahon ng himagsikan.
Huli itong nakita ng publiko sa ginanap na groundbreaking ng 1889 Paris World’s Fair.
Pagmamay-ari ito ngayon ng pribadong indibidwal, at hindi ng national government.
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Sa panayam ng Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho noong June 10 kay Jaime Ponce de Leon, proprietor ng León Gallery, sinabi niyang ang Hymen, oh Hymeénée! ang partikular na painting ni Luna na “ultimate grail of Philippine art.”
Aniya, “Much talked about, much revered, but nowhere to be found.”
Paliwanag ni Jaime, “Ito kasi yung nag-iisang artwork ni Luna na nagkaroon ng bronze medal sa art competition sa Paris.
“Yung Spoliarium, gold medalist yun pero sa Madrid. Madrid kasi, sa province, in terms of art. Ang Paris yung parang Olympics. So, ito yung artwork na nagbigay talaga ng honor sa atin.”
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Aniya, walang nakakaalam kung nasaan ang Hymen, oh Hymeénée!
“No collector or dealer would ever give a clue. It was a race to find it.
“For me, it became a tireless obsession and I would find myself hunting galleries and dealers all over Europe, anybody and everybody who had some connection to Juan Luna and to the Philippines.”
Nakatanggap umano siya ng tawag tungkol sa painting ni Luna. “I was told to be at the doorstep of a certain aristocratic home in a European City by 10:00 a.m. sharp. And there it was.
“I could not believe what was revealed and it finally lay before me!”
Maaari nang masilayan ng mga Pilipino ang Hymen, oh Hymeénée! sa Ayala Museum simula June 12, ang 125th anniversary ng Philippine Independence.
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