More notable than the building itself, or its priceless contents, is the
fact that these are here. That, in the midst of war and its demands,
France should still find time for the ideal, and for this beautiful
tribute to the long-standing friendship between the two countries, is a
demonstration of French spirit and of French culture that will not
escape the attention of any thoughtful American. For France herself, as
it has well been said, her appearance here means as much as a victory on
the battlefield.

The French Pavilion is a dignified and impressive structure, as those
who recall the Legion of Honor Palace in Paris will understand. The
entrance to the court is a triumphal arch flanked by double rows of
Ionic columns on either side, with figures of Fame as spandrels. The
arch is connected by lateral peristyles with the wings of the pavilion,
the attics of which are adorned with has reliefs. Ionic colonnades
extend along the sides of the court to the principal front of the
building, which is decorated with six Corinthian columns, forming a
portico for the main entrance. The portal opens on a stage, above which
a great central hall, flanked by lesser halls, extends back through the
palace.

But the glory of the building is in its exhibits. France poured out the
treasures of the Louvre, the Luxembourg and the National Museum to adorn
this pavilion. Fine as is the exhibit in the French section of the
Palace of Fine Arts, the best pictures and Sculptures are shown here. In
the Court of Honor stands the masterpiece of the master sculptor of
modern times, "The Thinker," by Auguste Rodin. (p. 158.) In the
galleries are his "John the Baptist" and other important bronzes. Vast,
unique and of the greatest interest is Theodore Riviere's wonderful
group in bronze representing a triumphant band of desert soldiers