MANILA, PHILIPPINES — On the 128th anniversary of his execution, the National Museum of Fine Arts unveiled Josephine Sleeping, a clay statue sculpted by Rizal himself of his lover Josephine Bracken. Acquired from the Leon Gallery in November for PHP 32 million, the piece offers a glimpse into the man inside the hero and was acquired by the National Museum thanks to Republic Act 11333, which allowed it to raise the funds and subsequently bid for the statue.
Flanked by quotes from preeminent diplomat and scholar Leon Ma Guerrero’s The First Filipino and an excerpt from one of Josephine’s letters to Rizal, the statue was moulded by Rizal during his exile in Dapitan. Displayed alongside the statue sits alongside a prayer book inscribed with a dedication as a gift to Bracken prior to his execution.
The unveiling happened with assembled guests and news crews eager to see the statue. The general public were invited to the unveiling as well as the first ever inaugural guided Rizal Tour through the museum. Amongst the guests present at its unveil were Lisa Guerrero-Nakpil from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines and David Guerrero, Leon Ma Guerrero’s son.
A speech from Jorell Legaspi, Deputy Director-General for Museums of the National Museum of the Philippines, detailed how the piece was acquired and how it was important that this piece of culture was able to be viewed by all. Jorell also noted that the National Museum was going from strength to strength with increasing visitor numbers across all its facilities and from January 2025 would now be open seven days a week.
Currently it is on display in the Spoliarium Hall alongside Juan Luna’s best known work. All National Museums in the NMP Central Complex would continue to be free to the public and offer guided tours as part of the museum’s commitment to universal access and proliferation of culture.
The National Museum of Fine Arts is part of the National Museum Complex in Rizal Park, Manila alongside the National Museum of Anthropology, the National Museum of Natural History and the currently closed National Planetarium. Open between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm seven days a week, the National Museum of Fine Arts is home to works of art and media that encapsulate the history of The Philippines including the Rizal Hall, a curated set of pieces relating to the National Hero.
Guided tours can be booked in advance through the official website at https://www.nationalmuseum.gov.ph/
