Restoration of Notre-Dame: after the spire, the stained glass controversy

Attention, explosive subject.

By evoking the idea of ​​installing contemporary stained glass windows and furniture in Notre-Dame, the Archdiocese of Paris is sure to revive the eternal and passionate debate: should we renovate 100% identically the cathedral damaged by the fire in April 2019?

The first act, around the arrow destroyed by the flames, was cut short: despite initial support from President Macron, the supporters of an "architectural gesture" to bring modernity to the building were at their expense.

In July, for lack of consensus and for fear of seeing the timetable slip, the decision of the State to rebuild the arrow in "copy and paste" put an end to the debate.

A bombshell

After the spire, will the stained-glass windows sign an act II of the controversy between modern and conservative?

The wish of the Archbishop of Paris to study the possibility of removing the original stained glass windows chosen by the architect Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century and miraculously spared by the fire, in favor of new ones signed by contemporary artists, does not not go unnoticed.

A paving stone in the pond that leaves more than one wondering.

"I really do not understand why he is embarking on this controversy, wonders Stéphane Bern, the Mr. Heritage appointed by Emmanuel Macron.

This surprises me all the more as I believe that the church is lacking in funds.

"Responsible for the commission set up by the archdiocese, Father Gilles Drouin specifies that he is still at the stage of reflection.

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"We do not forbid anything"

For the animator passionate about history, the Church does not have too much to say on the subject, because she "is only the beneficiary of this building which belongs to the State.

It cannot derogate from the heritage rules which are very clear: according to the Venice charter, signed by France in 1964, Notre-Dame must be restored to its last state of classification ”.

That is to say with the spire and the stained glass windows by Viollet-le-Duc, who had renovated the building in the 19th century.

"I have nothing against the contemporary and magnificent things have been achieved", specifies Stéphane Bern, citing as an example the stained glass windows of Pierre Soulages in the abbey of Conques (Aveyron), Marc Chagall in the cathedral of Reims (Marne) , or those of Tahar Ben Jelloun in a church on the banks of the Loire.

“But here,” says the host, “it's not the same situation at all.

»Symbol as much political, historical as religious, Notre-Dame is, obviously, not a building like the others.

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The archdiocese also intends to take advantage of the restoration to review the furniture of the cathedral and, for this purpose, could join forces with the scenographer Nathalie Crinière, who has already worked with many major international museums.

On this point, the church has a free hand: as responsible for the liturgy of the cathedral, it is responsible for its internal functioning and “can do absolutely whatever it wants with the furniture”, confirms Stéphane Bern.

On all these questions, stained glass as furniture, "we will obviously also discuss with the Ministry of Culture," says Father Gilles Drouin.