A Closer Look: The Architecture of the Legion of Honor

The Legion of Honor’s galleries are filled with magnificent artworks, but equally magnificent is the architecture that houses them. The museum is modeled on the 18th-century Hôtel de Salm in Paris, built during the final years before the French Revolution. This lecture explores why the French palace immediately became one of the most admired buildings of its age and considers how it reflected a society on the brink of transformation. Hear fresh insights into how the palace became the headquarters of the French Légion d’honneur and why it was chosen as the model for San Francisco’s own Legion of Honor in the 1920s. Along the way, we will uncover forgotten stories and meaning, hidden within one of our city’s most familiar and iconic buildings.

This lecture will be recorded and available to watch on this web page after the event.

About the curator

David Oakey is curator in charge of European decorative arts and sculpture at the Fine Art Museums of San Francisco. He began his career at the British Royal Collection before serving as Director of Research for a leading New York art and antiques dealership and later as a curator for a major private art collection. He holds degrees from University College London and Buckingham University, and is currently completing a part-time PhD at Cambridge University. A fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London and a trustee of the Furniture History Society, he has lectured internationally and published widely on decorative arts and historic interiors.

About the “A Closer Look” series

This program is part of our “A Closer Look” series, a curatorial lecture series exploring the development of our collections and their art historical significance. The series features in-depth presentations that highlight collection gems while demystifying creative practices that span thousands of years.

Pictured: Legion of Honor, 2022. Photograph by Henrik Kam.