Notre Dame unveils Claire Tabouret's vibrant stained glass designs, blending modern artistry with historic restoration. The €4 million project ignites debate, balancing contemporary vision and conservationist concerns.
On Wednesday, December 18, the designs for six new stained glass windows for the fire-damaged Notre Dame Cathedral were unveiled for the first time. French contemporary artist Claire Tabouret has been selected to infuse the iconic 12th-century structure with a modern twist as part of its ongoing restoration, following the devastating 2019 blaze. The proposal to replace the windows in six chapels along the cathedral's southern side has sparked criticism from some conservation groups, culminating in an online petition opposing the move. Despite the backlash, the French state and the Paris diocese, who are investing €4 million ($4.2 million) into the project, have pushed forward with their vision to blend modern art into the renovation—a vision championed by President Emmanuel Macron.
Fascinating debate
Claire Tabouret’s designs, which feature groups of people in prayer and contemplation, are rendered in calming shades of turquoise, yellow, pink, and red. While the colorful works are unlikely to provoke outrage from traditionalists, they may not fully satisfy those hoping for a bold departure from the cathedral’s historical aesthetic. “I've read about the different opinions of people because I want to understand their arguments and also to take an approach that is open and two-way,” Claire Tabouret said during a press conference at Notre Dame. “I find it a fascinating debate.”
The 43-year-old figurative painter, who divides her time between France and Los Angeles, praised the concept of adding “movement” to the beloved historic monument. “We need to remain in movement, we need to be confident in our era and show confidence in contemporary artists,” she added. Claire Tabouret, who prevailed over seven other shortlisted artists—including renowned conceptual artist Daniel Buren and Chinese portraitist Yan Pei-Ming—will collaborate with the prestigious French stained-glass manufacturer, Simon-Marq, to bring her vision to life.
Legal hurdles
However, the project faces legal hurdles. The French architectural conservation group Sites et Monuments plans to file a lawsuit to block the installation of the new windows, arguing against their departure from the cathedral’s original design. These modern works will replace windows that survived the 2019 fire, which were originally designed by 19th-century architect Eugène Viollet-Le-Duc. These historic windows, along with the cathedral’s famous medieval rose windows, make up just five percent of the total stained-glass area at Notre Dame.
The cathedral officially reopened on December 7, in a ceremony attended by global leaders, including incoming U.S. President Donald Trump. The new stained-glass windows are expected to be installed by late 2026, with the older, preserved windows either displayed in a museum or relocated to other religious sites, according to reconstruction project manager Philippe Jost.
With AFP
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