tHE FRENCH CLASSROOM    

Men of genius are meteors destined to burn themselves out in lighting up their age.
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) French soldier, emperor
In "What A Piece of Work is Man!," by Wesley D. Camp, 1990.

    The Empire Period of late 18th-century France inspired the design of the French Classroom. The wide-ranging conquests of Napoleon are recalled as one views the Italian, Greek, and Egyptian motifs in the room.

   Slender pilasters capped by bronze gold-leafed capitals bearing acanthus sprig designs decorate the soft gray walls. Gilded rosettes embellish the architrave, while golden Egyptian griffons lend interest to the intermediate wall areas.

   A Choufleur 16th-century tapestry in shades of blue and green, portraying a unicorn, birds, and animals in a luxuriant forest, dominates the rear wall. Sparkling crystal chandeliers reflect the room's hues. Golden damask draperies, bearing a traditional Napoleonic lyre motif, frame the windows that look out on Heinz Chapel, with its many elements of French Gothic architecture.

   The mahogany student chairs are of Directoire design. Bronze Empire ornaments, replicas of original pieces now in the Louvre Museum, adorn the professor's elegant table and chair. The parquet floor is laid in a pattern found in many rooms of the Palace of Versailles. A subtle touch of refinement is lent by the satiny surface of the blackboard, which is made of glass.

   The grill-protected wall cabinet contains objets d'art including medallions, delicate porcelain, massive crystal, and etched portraits of French rulers, together with the room's archives.