How Sites and Monuments hopes to block the contemporary stained glass project at Notre-Dame

Since the appointment of the artist Claire Tabouret, responsible for creating six large bays for the southern chapels of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, opposition from heritage defenders has intensified. While the Minister of Culture Rachida Dati denounces Monday “ quarrels from another age between “ancients” and “moderns” », The Sites and Monuments association takes the subject very seriously and plans to file an appeal before the Paris administrative court.

The stained glass dispute

The stained glass dispute dates back to December 2023. After a site visit, Emmanuel Macron announced the principle of a competition for bays of the cathedral, with the support of the Archbishop of Paris. Both are determined to « bring in the XXI^e century » in Notre Dame. The next day, a wave of protest began to break out. Supported by heritage conservationists, this revolt has never stopped.

Which stained glass windows are affected?

The six large bays should take place in the southern chapels of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, on an area of ​​121 m², currently occupied by 19th century stained glass windows.^e century of the architect Viollet-le-Duc. « For one hundred and fifty years, his work as an architect has been on trial. In question? His propensity to “complete” the monuments entrusted to his care, to restore their stylistic coherence, even if it means sometimes letting his imagination take precedence over his reason »writes François-Joseph Ambroselli in an article published by Le Figaro Special Edition . For Julien Lacaze, president of the association who wishes to file a legal action to block the project, « It was in 1979 in Paris, during the exhibition celebrating the centenary of Viollet-Le-Duc’s death, that we became aware of his work. He wasn’t just a restaurateur. He was a genius ». The problem, because there is obviously one for Julien Lacaze ? « This is because politicians and ecclesiastics have always had contempt for the heritage of the 19th century »he adds.

Why is the project contested?

The announcement of the project to install contemporary stained glass windows in Notre-Dame immediately provoked an outcry from heritage defenders. Posted online in December 2023 by the website La Tribune de l’art, a petition denouncing “a lack of regard for the heritage code” and for the cathedral, today records nearly 260,000 signatures. « The stained glass windows were not affected by the fire and are classified as a historic monument in the same way as the monument », explains the instigator of the petition, Didier Rykner, founder and host of the site. « The stained glass windows of Notre-Dame designed by Viollet-le-Duc were designed as a coherent whole. It is a true creation that the architect wanted to be faithful to the Gothic origin of the cathedral. (…) There is here a search for architectural unity and hierarchy of space which is an integral part of his work and which the work was particularly aimed at rediscovering. »he adds.

Noting the convergence « public and scholarly opinions » on the subject, the Sites and Monuments association decides to prepare a legal action in November 2024 to try to block the subject. « Trials are our specialty »underlines Julien Lacaze, president of the association. Since 1901, Sites and Monuments has worked for the legal defense of heritage and supports hundreds of appeals, particularly against wind projects. The association is also a member of the National Commission for Heritage and Architecture (CNPA) which gave an unfavorable opinion to the project. As an association recognized as being of public utility, 10,000 euros in subsidies are paid to it every year by the Ministry of Culture. Julien Lacaze specifies that « this sum is directly donated to the winners of our prizes “. “We do not want to depend on the ministry », he adds, concerned about the independence of this association.

What are the legal arguments?

The National Commission for Heritage and Architecture (CNPA) unanimously rejected the project on July 11, 2024. « Unanimously ! It almost never happens »insists Julien Lacaze. But Emmanuel Macron having decided to ignore it, eight projects were selected by an artistic committee chaired by Bernard Blistène, former director of the National Museum of Modern Art at the Center Pompidou. On December 18, the 43-year-old French artist Claire Tabouret was chosen on Wednesday for this colossal and contested project.

The opinion of the CNPA and the violation of the Venice Charter will be the main arguments of the association in its appeal before the Paris administrative court. Julien Lacaze hopes that the court will base its decision on the opinion of the CNPA to justify a manifest error of assessment by the Ministry of Culture. Also, « this obvious error goes against the Venice Charter, which is recognized worldwide »he emphasizes. The charter recommends in particular to respect, during a restoration, « valid contributions from all eras »according to article 11, and « the work of Eugène Viollet-Le-Duc obviously constitutes a valid contribution. As shown by the superb restoration of the mural paintings in the chapels of Notre-Dame » adds Julien Lacaze.« We can make additions to a monument as long as we do not affect the overall composition. »

Claire Tabouret’s selection

The appointment on December 18 of the French painter only revived opposition around this project. On this subject, the elected artist simply declared that « the debate did not scare (him) ». « We are in a country that shows real interest in art history, which is a good sign », even welcomes the artist who should leave Los Angeles, where she lives, to settle in Paris and start her major work in connection with the Simon-Marq workshops. For Julien Lacaze, the appointment of Claire Tabouret « is contrary to the character of Viollet-Le-Duc. “ He arrived on the construction site at 29 and did not study fine arts. Claire Tabouret is 43 years old, she has an academic background »he explains. She suggests keeping the frame of the stained glass windows of Viollet-Le-Duc, it is a kind of reproduction while emptying them. There is hesitation, there is unease, it is shaky and absurd ».

What are the motivations for this appeal?

« We are not against contemporary creation. Particularly for the glass roofs of the cathedral towers, which remained white. Contemporary art has its place. But it must be more and not less Julien Lacaze further advances. The convergence of public and scholarly opinion is unprecedented. There is an attachment to the 19^e century. Our desire is to take advantage of this exhibition to bring in the 19^e century through the main door into our heritage. There has always been a disdain for this period ».

In 2021, Mgr Laurent Ulrich was archbishop of the diocese of Lille. That year, the Saint-Joseph chapel, built in the 19th^e century, was destroyed for the construction of part of the new campus of the Junia engineering school. The Urgences Patrimoine association had tried to block the demolition project. In vain. A petition posted online by the association had collected more than 12,000 signatures.

What is the timeline for the procedure?

« To modify a historic monument, the prefect must issue a work authorization, the equivalent of a building permit. This act will be displayed on the ground and open to attack within two months. If authorization is refused by the prefect of Île-de-France, there is little chance, given the pressure, that the stained glass windows will be made »concludes the head of the Sites and Monuments association who now hopes that the prefecture can hear his arguments

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