Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1919-05-08
LETTER FROM
EDGAR VESTAL
Tours, France
March 81, 1919

"A
back on pass to get my baggage, an
going to Bourdeau, stopped over
few hours at Paris | went out ant
saw the Pantheon dele Guerre
painting of the war. | wish
might describe it to you as | reall,
saw it but words fail to describe 1t
The painting was begun just after
the battle of the Marine Seventeen
artists worked steadily from thai
time until it's completion short
time ago.
The theme is the triumphial re-
turn of the French Army after the
war. The site is the City of Paris
which is represented by high wall
/ Beyond the wall and stretching as
far as the eye can see is a profile
map Of the battlefields of Eu-
rope, beginning with Calais on the
north and ending with Belfort on
the south. The whole painting 800
feet long and SO feet high forms a
complete circle. A building has
been constructed especially for the
canvas.
To enter the building one goes
/ in by a passage way directly be-
meath the picture coming up in the
center, the light comes in from the
thetop and is reflected to the walls
by a huge canvas which places the
onlookers in semi-darkness SO much
for the picture its making.
AS we emerge from the passage
way our attention is at once at
tracted to the Triumphal arch here
are gathered the heroes of the Ma
ton of France. At the foot of the
Arch is 75M, themost celebrated
field piece of the war. 1t rests on
thirteen German flags captures of
the 1st battle of the Marine.
Directly behind it are the great
chiefs of the French Army Marshal
Joffre Foch, Generals Petrain, Gou-
roude and tall the rest. To our
left of the group of Generals stands
the idol of France Capt. Gunenieer
the ace of aces. To his left are
Clemenceau, Pinchon and a score
of others.
Rising away behind these lead
ing figures of French military and
civil life, is a vast stairway upon
which are standing all of the great |
heroes of the French Republic. The
Army the Navy the Red Cross nurse |
the aviator, all are there. Pouring
in toward the center from either
side of the arch are the returning
millions of the victorious Army |
Of France.
There is the blue of the Infantry
he kaki of the Colonials the Cut
,assiers with their gay plumes, the
lark blue of the Blue Devils.
They stretch away as far as the
,ye can see, the greatest triumphal
fray the world has ever known.
In the center of all this stands
he Statue of Victory. The flu
y feet in height. A huge block
# stone fully forty feet in height.
earring this inscription AUX HE
aOES" supports the figure. Vic
DRY is represented by the figure of
woman standing upon ball. At
er feet the National bird of a
rance crows to the world the news
f his victory. Victory looks down I
4 calm content upon the joyous
Gene below while holding aloft
/ either hand the wreatrs of Glory c
'e turn to the first group to the d
ght we instantly recognize a large q
lumber.
Directly beneath the Union Jack
the figure of King George, stand Z
ig at his right is the Crown Prince II
little further to the right is the
CURE of Admiral Jellicoe, Admiral
oking down at the feet of the
cup To the extreme. left we see
10 airmen, the Red Cross and 9TH
; branches of the service.
ands by Lloyd George.
To the right of the King, General
rench is looking over the /,
louder of Marshall Haig, Lord r
itchner stands by Lloyd George. Q
Behind the figures>are score or {
ore of other prominent men of l
lgland. AS one stands gazing at a
e great canvas it seems those '
cures ought to move, ought to :
sp down and out of the picture !.
d speak. -
Above and beyond this picture we n
9 the map OF Northern France and is
lgium, Calais, Yeners, Cambria. "