The ''Chula'' series or ''Chula'' studies is a succession of paintings created by Filipino painter and revolutionary activist

Juan Luna Juan Luna de San Pedro y Novicio (, ; October 25, 1857 – December 7, 1899) was a Filipino painter, sculptor and a political activism, activist of the Philippine Revolution during the late 19th century. He became one of the first recog ...

about the so-called "''chulas''" or working-class women of

Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

. Luna is well known for illustrating "striking and commercially lucrative" depictions of "women of the streets" of Madrid.Owen, Norman G
Masculinity and National Identity in the 7-9th Century Philippines
University of Hong Kong, raco.catMasculinity and National Identity in the 7-9th Century Philippines
University of Hong Kong, raco.cat Exemplars of these are Luna's ''Una Chula I'' ("A Chula" No. 1) and ''Una Chula II'' ("A Chula" No. 2) paintings.Reyes, Raquel A.G
Love, Passion and Patriotism: Sexuality and the Philippine Propaganda
books.google.com

Definitions

Chulas refer to the ''barrio-bajo'' women, meaning "poor-district" or lower class

Madrileña Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...

s of Spain. According to

José Rizal José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda (, ; June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896) was a Filipino nationalist, writer and polymath active at the end of the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines. He is popularly considered a na ...

, the Philippine national hero, chulas are attractive women with black, deep, and passionate eyes wearing

mantilla A mantilla is a traditional female liturgical lace or silk veil or shawl worn over the head and shoulders, often over a high hair ornament called a '' peineta'', particularly popular with women in Spain and Latin America. Within Christendom, ...

s and carrying fans, who are "always gracious", full of conflagration, affection, jealousy and "sometimes" of revenge.

The ''Chula series''

''Una Chula I''

The ''Una Chula I'' is an 1885 painting by Luna depicting a street woman from Madrid who is turning her head flirtatiously. The Madrileña is naughtily and alluringly looking back at the spectator. Her head is skewed coquettishly with a complicit facial appearance. The female's façade, body, and bosom are "playful" and indicating a pretense of "sexual promise".

''Una Chula II''

The ''Una Chula II'' ("A Chula" II) is an 1885 painting by Luna portraying another lower class Madrileña. The woman is sitting squarely with arms resting on a chair, a pose that "almost mannishly exuding (…) sexual confidence and worldliness". The woman is holding a lit cigarette between two fingers in a flirtatious way. The burning tip of the cigarette acts as an enhancement to the female's "painted lips" that supports a "slight smile". The woman is gazing towards the viewer of the painting unembarrassed suggesting a persuasive provocation.

Description and comparison

According to one

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

aficionado of Luna's paintings who was quoted by

Graciano López Jaena Graciano López y Jaena (December 18, 1856 – January 20, 1896), commonly known as Graciano López Jaena (), was a Filipino journalist, orator, reformist, and national hero who is well known for his newspaper, '' La Solidaridad'' (December ...

, Luna's depictions of chulas are "real chulas who stupefy". The same

connoisseur A connoisseur (French language, French Reforms of French orthography, traditional, pre-1835, spelling of , from Middle-French , then meaning 'to be acquainted with' or 'to know somebody/something') is a person who has a great deal of knowledge ...

stated further that "Luna’s chulas are "free and easy chulas" that are witty and with facetiousness and swagger. Luna's portraits of chula women embodies the emergence of chulas who deserve admiration, one reason why Luna was successful in selling these types of paintings to rich friends and various commercial companies in Madrid and Paris.

References

External links

*Image o
Juan Luna's ''Una Chula I''
from ''Love, Passion and Patriotism: Sexuality and the Philippine Propaganda'' by Raquel A.G. Reyes, page 44, at books.google.com {{Juan Luna Paintings by Juan Luna Paintings in the Philippines 1885 paintings Working class women Philippine paintings Paintings of women Women in Madrid History of women in Spain