In My Own Backyard: Legion of Honor, San Francisco

In 2020, I had planned a trip to Pompeii, which of course, never happened. But last Saturday, I caught a glimpse of this tragic city at the Legion of Honor. My brother invited me to the museum to see a very interesting exhibit: Last Supper in Pompeii -From the Table to the Grave. The exhibition tells the story of Pompeii through… food. 

You know how you have to be in the mood to go to a museum? Well, this past weekend, I was in the mood! We saw beautifully painted frescos taken from dining room walls celebrating nature’s bounty, as well as mosaics taken from dining room floors.

We viewed various carbonized ingredients and food like this loaf of bread

The exhibit included dining couches. Apparently, Romans preferred to lounge while feasting. I like this custom. I, too, have a dining couch in my dining room. Formerly called a settee, but from now on will be referred to as “the dining couch.”  

Everyday kitchen tools were on display, as were serving pieces and cookware. These utilitarian objects revealed some interesting Roman eating habits, in particular, this dormouse jar. 

Mice were collected and fattened up with acorns and chestnuts to later be roasted with honey and poppy seeds. Romans also ate peacocks, cranes, and songbirds. It seems that Romans LOVED to dine. That is, wealthy Romans loved to dine. They enjoyed the spectacle and pleasure of it. Made pleasurable and spectacular, of course, by their slaves. 

When excavating Pompeii, slaves were easily identifiable by their lack of coins and jewelry. In fact, this is how the exhibit ends. The final “object” in the exhibition is a very jarring cast of a woman found clutching her jewelry as she died trying to escape the ash. Beside her, a case displays her worldly riches found on her lifeless body. 

The exhibit runs through August 29. It reveals much about ancient Pompeii and Roman culture, and it has some lessons to teach us. 

1. Your gold won’t do much for you in the afterlife. 
2. While you live, enjoy your life. Find pleasure wherever you can.  

We don’t know how long we have. So, eat the dessert. (my favorite mosaic)

Speaking of pleasure and feasting… visiting the Legion of Honor this past weekend did a lot for my soul. It felt nourishing to be surrounded by so much beauty. The architecture, the art, the setting (overlooking the bay and Golden Gate Bridge) were stunning.

If you can make it there before August 29 to see the Pompeii exhibit, great. But if not, their permanent collection is just as worthwhile. If you’re a fan of Rodin, the museum has an extensive collection. 

I’m a fan.

Running concurrently with the Pompeii exhibit is an exhibition by Wangechi Mutu. She’s a contemporary artist and self-described feminist with roots in Kenya and New York. I found her pieces intriguing, especially made compelling by the curation and placement of her artwork. 

Her art is provocative. It’s modern and clearly created by a woman of color. The decision to display it throughout the museum, juxtaposed against the traditional art made from a European perspective (and I’m sure primarily male), made it that much more engaging. 

Everywhere I turned, there was something interesting and beautiful to look at. And then, there was lunch. Food and the pleasure of dining! Made especially pleasurable by my company.