A bitter controversy has ignited in France over plans to replace the original 19th century stained glass windows at the iconic Notre Dame cathedral with contemporary designs. The proposal, championed by French President Emmanuel Macron as a “contemporary gesture” following the devastating 2019 fire, has drawn fierce criticism from heritage experts and the public alike.
Macron’s Contemporary Vision Sparks Outrage
As part of the cathedral’s multi-year restoration process, Macron envisioned incorporating a modern artistic element. A design competition was launched, with French artist Claire Tabouret ultimately selected to create new stained glass windows for the chapels on Notre Dame’s south side.
Tabouret’s colorful, figurative designs would replace the existing geometric windows installed in 1844 by famed architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. While those windows emerged unscathed from the 2019 blaze, they have now been deemed of more historical than aesthetic value.
“Who gave the head of state a mandate to alter a cathedral that does not belong to him, but to everyone?” – Didier Rykner, art historian and founder of La Tribune de l’Art
– Didier Rykner, art historian
Critics Decry “Ludicrous” Plan
The decision has provoked a major backlash, with heritage advocates, art historians, and a large segment of the French public slamming the proposal as “totally ludicrous.” An online petition against the plan has garnered nearly 250,000 signatures.
Opponents argue that Viollet-le-Duc’s windows form a “coherent whole” integral to the cathedral’s gothic design. Removing them, critics contend, would violate the Venice Charter, which stipulates that period features may only be moved if essential for preservation.
“To remove windows that survived the fire undamaged and replace them with others is just absurd… This is just a vanity project.” – Didier Rykner
– Didier Rykner, art historian
Battle Lines Drawn As Debate Rages
Despite the vocal opposition, the controversial €4 million plan has the backing of both Macron and the Archbishop of Paris. The French National Heritage and Architecture Commission, however, unanimously rejects replacing the protected windows.
Heritage groups like Sites & Monuments are threatening legal action should the project proceed. The French Academy of Fine Arts also favors finding an alternative location for the contemporary windows, arguing the fire-damaged north tower could be a possibility.
“The Académie des beaux-arts hopes that other locations, starting with the North Tower, will be considered for this commission for contemporary stained glass.” – Official statement
– Académie des beaux-arts
Artist Navigates Thorny Debate
For her part, Tabouret has acknowledged the sensitive nature of the commission. The artist, who featured in the Vatican’s 2022 Venice Biennale pavilion, expressed a desire to approach the project in an open manner and to avoid overshadowing the space.
In a nod to the site’s heritage, her designs will incorporate motifs from Viollet-le-Duc’s original windows. The six new installations, rising over 7m high, are slated for completion in 2026 by the historic Atelier Simon-Marq glass workshop.
Stained Glass Controversy Symbolic Of Deeper Tensions
The heated dispute over Notre Dame’s windows cuts to the heart of larger debates around French heritage, the role of contemporary art, and the power of the presidency in such decisions. As with the initial proposals for a modernized spire, any deviations from the cathedral’s traditional aesthetics have proven intensely polarizing.
While Notre Dame’s reconstruction has so far hewn closely to its original gothic design, the window controversy shows the tension between preservation and modernization still simmers. As the “contemporary gesture” battle enters its next phase, all eyes are on the French courts to see if Macron’s vision will ultimately prevail.
