Focus on this artwork and explain the Return to the Philippines.
In 1885, the painting was bought (while still in Paris) by the provincial government of Barcelona for 20,000 pesetas, after being exhibited in Rome, Madrid, and Paris. It was transferred to the Museo del Arte Moderno in Barcelona in 1887, where it was in storage until the museum was burned and looted during the Spanish Civil War in 1937. Under orders of Generalissimo Francisco Franco, the damaged painting was sent to Madrid for restoration, where it stayed for 18 years. The calls for the painting's transfer to Manila by Filipinos and sympathetic Spaniards in the 1950s led to Gen. Franco's orders to finish the painting's restoration and eventual donation to the Philippines. After the restoration work was done in late 1957, the painting was then turned over to Philippine ambassador to Spain Manuel Nieto Sr. in January 1958, and later sent to the Philippines as a gift from the government of Spain.The Spoliarium was broken up into three pieces, with each piece going into its own shipping crate, because of its size. The painting was mounted on a wooden frame at the then  Department of Foreign Affairs building (current-day Department of Justice building as of June 2020) on Padre Faura Street. Artist Antonio Dumlao was chosen by Carlos da Silva, as head of the Juan Luna Centennial Commission, to perform relining and cleaning of the painting. The mounting, framing, and architectural work was done by Carlos da Silva. A newly restored Spoliarium was then unveiled in the Hall of Flags of the Department of Foreign Affairs in December 1962.The painting was cleaned by Suzano "Jun" Gonzalez in 1982. In 2005, another restoration was made by Art Restoration and Conservations Specialists Inc., headed by painter June Poticar Dalisay. As of the present day, the painting is housed in the National Museum of Fine Arts.
Juan Luna  provincial government of Barcelona National Museum of Fine Arts Francisco Franco Filipino pesetas Manuel Nieto Sr. Juan Luna government of Spain Manila Madrid