An Afternoon at Ayala Museum
Visiting the Ayala Museum in 2023 was not something I planned but a few days ago, I received an invitation to a sponsored event at the museum which gave me an opportunity to visit it once more. I've been to the Ayala Museum twice in the past but never since the lockdowns and its recent renovation. We started with a guided tour of the Juan Luna painting “Hymen, oh Hyménée!” (Roman Wedding). This painting has not been seen since 1889. Contrary to popular belief, it wasn't "Spoliarium" that launched Juan Luna's career but “Hymen, oh Hyménée!”. The painting was an entry to the World Exposition in Paris in 1889 and won bronze. It was at that same fair that the Eiffel Tower of Paris was unveiled. What sets this painting apart from the Spoliarium is its festive theme which is in contrast to the dark and morbid one of Spoliarium. Looking at the painting from different angles will make you appreciate the technique of the painter even more. The painting is owned by Jaime P