the end results

On November 9th, I attended the 100th anniversary celebration of my favorite museum in San Francisco, the California Palace of the Legion of Honor Museum.  It opened November 11,1924.  It is a replica of France’s 18th century, Palais de la legion d’Honneur.  

The California Palace of the Legion of Honor was built as a dedication to the 3,600 California men who died in France during WWI.  It was also designed to showcase French art featuring Rodin.  The museum is part of the de Young Fine Art Museums in San Francisco.

I first visited the Legion of Honor in 1978.  I was hired to play a news cameraman in a commercial for Volkswagen of Mexico.  I was taken with the spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge from the museum’s location on a promenade in Lincoln Park.  The Legion of Honor grounds and its architecture were awesome.  I also loved the name.  

The Museum has expanded and continues to be impressive. The Legion of Honor is home to great European paintings, sculptures and Rodin’s famous sculpture, The Thinker.

A small aside.  During a break in the commercial filming back in 1978, I was sitting alone on the steps of the museum.  A young black tourist passes by and asks me, the only other black person in site, what was happening.  I explained that a commercial was being filmed.  We talked for about fifteen minutes. During the “where are you from” phase of the conversation, we were both shocked to discover that he had dated one of my New Jersey high school friend’s sister.  What are the odds!

The 100th anniversary celebration on November 9th had a variety of activities and dignitaries.  There was a Cake Picnic on a portion of the front lawn.  San Francisco’s George Washington High School provided a marching band to get the celebration started.  Oakland’s French bakery, Tarts de Feybasse treated all to delicious croquembouche.  Never heard of croquembouche until that day.  Yummy.  The Grand Chancellier of the French Legion of Honor, Nancy Pelosi and museum dignitaries spoke.  After opening remarks, a DJ provided music then gave way to a live band while the public mingled, got their picture taken in front of The Thinker and ate tasty desserts.  Many went inside to view the special exhibit Mary Cassatt at Work.  I stayed outside eating dessert and photographing anyone I found interesting.

I used my Nikon Z 50mm 1.8 S and my Nikon Z 105mm 2.8 S.  I was able to capture a few interesting macro shots of the croquembouche using the 105mm.  I shot over 200 hundred photos.   Enjoy these twelve.