Paint
AN
ing
GROUP 1
Adviento, Katrina Mae
Argel, James Aaron
Bolambao, Shanlei Avanti
Etrata, Andrei Lucas
Iblogan, Xen Madel
Oclos, Desiree
Raguindin, Francis Aadrian
Reyes, Khennie Lee
Viloria, Monique April T.
BASIC
Title of the Work:
La Leçon de Guitarre (The Guitar Lesson)
INFORMA
Artist's Name:
Balthasar Klossowski de Rola
Medium and Technique:
Oil on canvas and traditional painting
technique
TION
Dimension or Measurement:
161.3 cm x 138.4 cm
Date of Work:
1934
Provenance / Present Owner or Collector:
Private collection
BALTHASAR
(February 29,1908 - February 18,
KLOSSOWSKI
2001)
He was a Polish-French painter known for
his classical style, inspired by Renaissance
DE ROLA
masters. His work is figurative, dreamlike,
and often controversial. He used
traditional techniques and focused on
young adolescent girls, quiet interiors,
and timeless, mysterious scenes.
Basi
SEMIO
c
SIGN/
• A guitar on the floor
SYMBO
• A grown woman holding a young
girl in a strange, forceful way
• The girl’s clothes are partly pulled
Loff, and she looks uncomfortable
PHYSI
Left: Grand piano that is not fully
CAL
shown
Center: An adult woman holding the
half naked child and a guitar on the
floor
ASPEC
BAC
Right: There is nothing on the left side
Room with a pattern of stripe
TS
KGR
that is orange and green and a
grand piano
IconPLA
ic
• The painting portrays a woman seated on a
vintage chair, holding another girl across her
lap in a dynamic, somewhat disturbing pose.
NE
The girl appears limp, and her facial
expression seems emotionally charged.
• The setting is an interior space with a
wooden floor, vertical striped wallpaper, and
a piano in the background.
• The style is hyper-realistic and slightly
LA LEÇON DE GUITARRE
surreal, with exaggerated anatomy and an
eerie emotional tone.
• The lighting and color palette reflect a
Positio The dominant action is centered in
the composition, immediately
n drawing the viewer’s eye to the
interaction
figures.
between
The seated woman occupies the
the two
right side of the frame, but her
extended arm and the diagonal
position of the girl create a strong
dynamic movement across the
canvas.
The posture of the girl and the
gaze of the woman suggest a
narrative tension—possibly
disciplinary, theatrical, or symbolic
in nature.
Positio
n The background elements
(piano, striped wallpaper)
create a sense of domestic
space and help anchor the
figures in a realistic setting.
Contex
tual P
The painting "the guitar lesson" is painted by
Balthasar Klossowski de Rola, also known as
Balthus. Balthus is a 20th- century polish-french
artist known for his figurative work. The style of
L
Balthus in painting an artwork is a combination of
modern and traditional techniques, usually
portraying subjects in a dreamlike and
introspective manner.
The young girl in the painting is having a guitar
lesson with the older lady. The young girl
portraying the potentially vulnerable that has led
to sexual exploitation. Other viewers see the
painting as an imbalance or not equal in terms of
BASIC
Title of the Work:
The Parisian Life (Interior d'un Cafi)
INFORMA
Artist's Name:
Juan Luna
Medium and Technique:
Oil on canvas
Dimension or Measurement:
TION
57 cm x 79 cm
Date of Work:
1892
Provenance / Present Owner or Collector:
National Museum of Fine Arts
SIGN AND
SYMBOLS
• The Woman
• The Three
Men
• The Cafe
SIGN AND
SYMBOLS
• The Black Umbrella
• Paintings Mood
PHYSICAL ASPECTS
LEFT: CENTER: RIGHT:
A woman dressed in elegant, A top hat rests on a
Three men in suits and
vintage clothing sits on a checkered cloth draped
hats are seated close
green couch, facing forward over a couch, with a
together, chatting at the folded newspaper at the
with a calm expression.
BACKGROUND
Inside a café
● Tall windows or panels
creating depth
● Minimalist yet elegant
décor
● A table and chair at the
left side.
Ico
nic
Pl a
ne The
Parisi
1an
892
The central female figure in Ic o
The Parisian Life carries deep
symbolic meaning, particularly n ic
in relation to the Philippines.
Pla
Her seated, curved posture
subtly resembles the shape of ne
the Philippine archipelago,
making her a visual metaphor
for the nation itself. Beyond her
form, her melancholic
expression and isolated
position in the scene reflect the
country's condition during
Spanish colonial rule—one of
oppression, uncertainty, and
vulnerability. Through this
figure, Juan Luna captures not
just a woman in a Parisian café,
The three men seated together in the
painting—identified as José Rizal, Juan
Luna, and Ariston Bautista Lin—
represent key intellectual figures of the
Philippine reform movement. Their
presence near the woman, who
symbolizes the Philippines, signifies
their deep concern and contemplation
over the fate of their homeland.
However, the physical gap between the
woman and the men introduces a
subtle but powerful message: a sense
of separation or disconnect between
the country and those striving to
protect and uplift it. This distance may
Ic o reflect the emotional or political divide
n ic experienced during the colonial period,
highlighting the complexities faced by
Ic o
n ic
Pla
ne
The café setting in The Parisian Life subtly reinforces the theme of colonial exile. The
European backdrop, specifically the Parisian environment, suggests that the Filipino
patriots—Rizal, Luna, and Bautista Lin—were far from home, working and resisting
colonial injustice from abroad. This sense of distance and dislocation is further
emphasized through the painting’s use of muted colors and subdued tones, which
evoke a somber and reflective mood. Together, the setting and color palette capture
the emotional weight and uncertainty of the historical period, highlighting the quiet
ContextualPlan
The Parisian Life is a famous 1892 painting by Filipino
e
artist Juan Luna. It's considered a symbolic piece
reflecting the socio-political atmosphere of the
Philippines under Spanish rule, disguised as a light
Parisian scene. The woman in the painting is said to
represent the Philippines, and the three men
(including Luna himself and José Rizal) are Filipino
revolutionaries.
The painting uses Western techniques (Impressionism,
Realism) and themes, highlighting Luna’s training and
exposure in Europe
01. Basic Information
02. Sign/ Symbol
Table of 03. Physical Aspects
04. Background
CON
04. Iconic Plane
05. Position
06. Contextual Plane
07. Interpretations
