The Juan Luna Shrine

The Juan Luna Shrine in among the top tourist attractions in Ilocos Norte Philippines.

The Shrine is the ancestral home of Juan Luna (1857-1899), a world-renowned painter. Inspired by Rembrandt, Delacroix and Daumier mixed with a style that's distinctly his own, Luna's works of art are powerful and dramatic.

Luna's works not only earned international recognition and awards, but more importantly served as a catalyst for Philippine nationalism during the Spanish era.

The restored house has been converted into a museum that showcases various memorabilia and works of Luna, including a reproduction of ,b>his masterpiece, the Spolarium, which won the gold medal in the 1884 Exposicion General de Bellas Artes in Madrid.

A more recent addition to the museum's collection is Luna's original painting "The Parisian Life," completed in 1892 - a significant period in Philippine history.

The 113-year-old (44-inch by 39-inch) painting depicts Luna, Dr. Jose Rizal and Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin in a huddle in a Paris café at the turn of the century, just before the Philippines revolted against Spain. In the foreground of the painting is a young Parisian woman whose silhouette, according to some curators, seems to match that of a mirror image of the Philippine archipelago.

The Philippine government acquired the painting from Christie's auction in Hong Kong for about US$1 Million.

See more Ilocos Norte tourist attractions


Back to Top of Juan Luna Shrine


Philipines Travel and Business Guide