Essayer OR - Gratuit
THE QUEST
Tatler Philippines
|August 2023
Jaime Ponce de Leon recounts his journey to finding Juan Luna's long-lost piece, Hymen, oh Hymenee, considered the Holy Grail of Philippine

The journey of a thousand miles—stretching over more than ten years—would end unexpectedly with a seconds-long phone call somewhere in a European capital. “One fine day, an old friend in the art business rang me up with a tantalising message. He said he had something special that I would certainly want to see and then asked me to go to a certain address and to come precisely at 10am,” confides Jaime Ponce de Leon, whose name has become interchangeable with the “find of the century”, none other than Luna’s lost masterpiece, Hymen, oh Hymenee.
He had no idea what to expect at the time.
“In my mind, I thought, perhaps it was a Resurreccion Hidalgo painting or one by Miguel Zaragoza. Perhaps even a Juan Luna, but Lunas had become extremely rare,” says Ponce de Leon. He is, of course, not a stranger to finding links and chasing down leads worldwide. “Once, I was in Brussels and chanced upon an antique shop along the Sablon neighbourhood. I enjoy exploring little shops selling objects and even old frames, and I usually begin my foray by asking if they have anything from the Philippines. Half of the time, the proprietors would reply, ‘Where is that?’; but that afternoon, the gentleman behind the counter answered, ‘Yes!’ and he made a call, and through his very thick accent, I could make out the name ‘Fah-bi-an de la Rose-sa’. I was sent to another street close by, and as soon as the door opened, I saw a wonderful portrait of a woman with waist-length hair near the distance. It was just amazing!”
Cette histoire est tirée de l'édition August 2023 de Tatler Philippines.
Abonnez-vous à Magzter GOLD pour accéder à des milliers d'histoires premium sélectionnées et à plus de 9 000 magazines et journaux.
Déjà abonné ? Se connecter
PLUS D'HISTOIRES DE Tatler Philippines

Tatler Philippines
IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK...
Asia is home to some of the world's most spectacular heritage hotels, from iconic properties that have stood the test of time to destinations housed in former palaces and forts
4 mins
August 2025

Tatler Philippines
THE LAST WORD
This month, we put our cover star, Lea Salonga, in the hot seat with a fun round of quickfire questions
1 min
August 2025

Tatler Philippines
TILL DIVORCH DO US PART
In a world where marital vows are meant to last a lifetime, what happens when the fairytale ends? We delve into the issue of divorce, where the promise of forever meets the final policy of goodbye
4 mins
August 2025

Tatler Philippines
Echoes of the Past
From original artworks to nostalgic design elements, the reopening of Dusit Thani Bangkok fuses its storied foundation of Thai history and culture with the evolving identity of modern Bangkok—offering guests something that is instantly recognisable and yet entirely new
3 mins
August 2025

Tatler Philippines
SYDNEY (IN)SIDER
Neil Perry is one of Australia's most celebrated chefs, known for his wildly popular Rockpool restaurants and his collaboration with the country's flag carrier, Qantas. When he's not ruling his culinary empire, these are the places he goes to wind (or should we say, wine) down in his hometown: Sydney
1 mins
August 2025

Tatler Philippines
ONE FOR THE BOOKS
What began as a love story between Prosper and Martine Assouline—and their shared devotion to books—grew into a family commitment to share the beauty of the world through words and images. Thirty years on, Martine explains how their books continue to take readers through place, time and emotion, one page at a time
5 mins
August 2025

Tatler Philippines
THE IT FACTOR
After snagging a coveted role in season four of Bridgerton, rising Hong Kong actress Isabella Wei continues her remarkable ascent—but this is just the beginning
3 mins
August 2025

Tatler Philippines
Every Version of You
Accor's new campaign reframes the hotel stay as a journey into self, meeting the traveller where they are, and who they are
3 mins
August 2025

Tatler Philippines
Illuminating the Path
Explore how Geraldine Acuña Sunshine's unique leadership style at Khan Academy Philippines is elevating education for Filipinos everywhere
4 mins
August 2025

Tatler Philippines
HERITAGE IN MOTION
Six Filipino designers, led by Cebu-born couturier Cary Santiago, wear their hearts on their sleeves in a spectacular ode to the iconic terno—a canvas of the country's soul, history and pride By Mia Borromeo and Mac Fabella
1 mins
August 2025
Translate
Change font size