Answer:
After completing his studies in Spain, Rizal went to Paris and Germany for his specialization in ophthalmology. He chose this course of medicine because he wanted to cure his mother’s growing eye ailment. He still hasn’t forgotten his ‘secret mission’—to observe the customs and lifestyle of the Europeans so that someday he will render service to his fatherland.
In 1885, after completing his studies at Central University of Madrid, he went to Paris in order to acquire more knowledge in ophthalmology. He was 24 then. He stopped over at Barcelona, on his way to Paris, to visit his friend Maximo Viola who is also a medical student and a member of a rich family in Bulacan. And on the November of that year, Rizal was living in Paris where he sojourned for about four months. He worked as an apprentice of Dr. Louis de Weckert, who is a then, a leading French ophthalmologist. And with his master, his knowledge in ophthalmology improved.
While not working at Dr. Weckert’s clinic, Rizal visited his friends, such as the family of Pardo de Taveras, Juan Luna and Felix Resurreccion, Hidalgo.
Rizal spent many happy hours in the studio of Luna. Luna discussed with Rizal various problems on art and improved his own painting technique. Rizal posed to some painting of Luna. He was one of the Egyptian priests in Luna’s painting “The Death of Cleopatra”.
