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Legion of Honor

Legion of Honor "Facade"

Legion of Honor "Facade"

Regular price $325.00 USD
Regular price Sale price $325.00 USD
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From: Legion of Honor
Limited Edition: 25
Exhibition: Legion of Honor: Classics
Material: Printed vinyl
Dimensions: 35" x 72" (88 cm x 182 cm)

Hanging Hardware Included

Summary

The Legion of Honor in San Francisco is a French neo-classical feast for the eyes. The building is a replica of the 18th-century Palais de la Légion d'Honneur in Paris, and it is iconic among the city's museums. Banners featuring a photo of the building are perfect for fans of the museum, lovers of classic architecture, and those who want to bring a great view to their rooms.

Description

In 1915, Alma de Brettville Spreckels, wife of a California sugar magnate, fell in love with the Beaux-Arts design of the French Pavilion at San Francisco’s International Exposition. A replica of the Palais de la Légion d’Honneur in Paris, the pavilion was a pure expression of 18th-century French Neoclassicism, and Mrs. Spreckels was smitten. She persuaded her husband to build a museum for the city that would recapture the beauty of that structure, and the Legion of Honor was completed in 1924. Like the French original which commemorates and recognizes the lives of soldiers lost in battle, the Spreckels wished that the Legion of Honor would “honor the dead while serving the living”. The museum was dedicated to the memory of the 3,600 men from California who lost their lives in World War I.

The building itself is an architectural gem situated in the breathtaking Golden Gate Park. It is one of the city’s true treasures. Seen on this banner is a view of the building featuring a triumphal entry arch flanked by rows of fluted, Ionic columns. Decorative carvings and friezes embellish the façade, and the whole is reflected in great detail in the placid waters of the reflecting pool. The other side of the banner is white with black text that reads “The classics are closer than you think./Lincoln Park/34th Avenue/& Clement Street” and includes the museum’s name and cinquefoil logo.

Provenance

These banners were displayed around San Francisco throughout the summer of 2008 to promote the Legion of Honor’s permanent collection.

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