Spoliarium - Jose Rizal's Heart On The Spoliarium

Jose Rizal's Heart On The Spoliarium

At a gathering of the Filipino expatriates in Madrid, Spain, Rizal enthusiastically gave his opening toast to celebrate the momentous "fresh proof of racial equality" the triumphs of two compatriots (the other one was Felix Hidalgo who won a silver medal) had achieved. (Leon Ma. Guerrero, "The First Filipino" 2007)

"Luna's Spoliarium with its bloody carcasses of slave gladiators being dragged away from the arena where they had entertained their Roman oppressors with their lives...stripped to satisfy the lewd contempt of their Roman persecutors with their honor..." Rizal was footnoted in his speech that the Spoliarium, "embodied the essense of our social, moral and political life: humanity in severe ordeal, humanity unredeemed, reason and idealism in open struggle with prejudice, fanaticism and justice..." (Leon Ma. Guerrero, "The First Filipino" 2007)

Impliedly, Leon Ma. Guerrero in "The First Filipino" says that Rizal was inspired to carve a mark of his own to give glory to his country by writing his 'Spoliarium' since early that year 1884 "he had been toying with the idea of a book" for he has seen and described the painting as "the tumult of the crowd, the shouts of slaves, the metallic clatter of dead men's armor, the sobs of orphans, the murmured prayers..." Rizal's book would be called "Noli Me Tangere", "the Latin echo of the Spoliarium". (Leon Ma. Guerrero, "The First Filipino, 2007)

Here is an excerpt of Jose Rizal's speech about the triumph of Juan Luna's Spoliarium (including Felix Hidalgo's Christian Virgins): "I ask you then to drink a toast to our painters, Luna and Hidalgo, exclusive and legitimate glories of two peoples ! A toast for those who have helped them on the arduous paths of art! A toast for the YOUTH of the Philippines, sacred hope of my country that they may follow such excellent examples..." (Leon Ma. Guerrero, "The First Filipino" 2007)