House of National Art

During the Labor Day weekend, my sister and I decided to visit a place that I, in my twenty years in this country, had never entered...the halls of the building that houses some of the country's remaining national art.

As you might expect, I would gush over the Spolarium, but no, I was even more awed by the small display on the side of the painting...Juan Luna's coat.

This is not Juan Luna's coat, it just looks similar, with it's long tail and short front.

photo from barringtonayre

Since cameras were not allowed inside the museum, I was not able to take snapshots of the masterpiece.  A closer look would show you how delicate and frail the coat was, perhaps a slight grasp might even leave the coat to crumbles, with its brittle signs of ironing mishaps on the insides of the coat. (Which might have happened in the handling of the article.) 

I am wondering why our national museum does not have a costume institute.  It holds paintings and skeletons of different animals, but no room is designated specifically for antique clothes. It would be really interesting if we would be able to see some of our country's designs showcased in exhibits.  Might even be helpful in giving us a background of our fashion culture.