Juan Luna’s ‘Parisian Life’ returned to HK for auction

"Parisian Life", the 110-year old Juan Luna painting that hugged the headlines recently when the National Museum asked for its return to the county, will be sold today at Christie’s auction of Southeast Asian art in Hong Kong with a starting bid price of $220,000.

The1892 Luna masterpiece, measuring 44.3 by 39 inches, was first shipped out of the country last Aug. 7 when Christie put it up on exhibit in Singapore reportedly to gauge if it would command interest among art lovers.

The National Museum, however, asked Christie to return the painting because it was taken out of the country without the necessary registration papers and export permits.

The painting arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Friday night only to be shipped back to Hong Kong aboard a Philippine Airlines flight early yesterday morning after the owners have complied with all the requirements to legally sell the art treasure.

National Museum Deputy Director Cecilio Salcedo said the museum could not stop its sale since it was not listed as a cultural treasure or as an important cultural property.

"It was simply considered a "cultural property" in view of its being over 100 years old," he said.

Ramon Nakpil, a descendant of the Nakpil family who commissioned Christie to handle the sale of the 19th century painting, said although there were many claimants to painting, the decision to sell is his because it came from his own inheritance.

When the painting arrived handcarried by Christie’s representatives Friday night at NAIA, it was examined by a National Musuem curator as well as Customs officials before it was repacked in its original case for shipment back to the former Crown Colony.

Nakpil was also present to ensure that all the requirements are complied with and the sale of the painting will be pushed through, this time without any hitch.