Despite controversy, designs for Notre Dame’s new windows go on display in Paris

Designs for six new stained glass windows for Notre Dame Cathedral have gone on display at the Grand Palais in Paris, even as protests continue over the decision to replace the existing 19th century windows.
The new works, created by French artist Claire Tabouret, would take the place of the monochrome windows designed by Eugène Viollet le Duc and Jean Baptiste Lassus. Those original windows were not damaged in the fire that destroyed the cathedral’s spire five years ago, prompting architects, historians, and conservation experts to argue that replacing them violates established cultural preservation guidelines.
Inside a quiet upper gallery of the Grand Palais, reached by three stories of circular stairs, visitors can now view full scale ink on paper maquettes of the proposed designs. The walls are lined with Tabouret’s vivid compositions, developed in collaboration with the stained glass specialists Atelier Simon Marq.
Speaking to The Art Newspaper, Tabouret said controversy often surrounds new artistic additions to historic Paris sites. She cited examples such as Daniel Buren’s columns at the Palais Royal and I. M. Pei’s Louvre Pyramid, which were initially divisive but later became widely appreciated. She described her own project as cautious, gentle, and harmonious.
Tabouret, a 44 year old painter based in Los Angeles, was selected from more than one hundred submissions. Her designs follow the assigned theme of Pentecost, the moment when the Holy Spirit is said to have descended upon a gathering and filled each person present. She noted that although she is not religious, she sees the narrative as one of community and celebration.
While Tabouret is best known for figurative painting, the window designs move fluidly between groups of human figures and dynamic landscapes, including a surging sea and wind swept trees. The colors of the glass will match the tones in her paintings, incorporating vibrant reds, greens and blues that also echo the language of traditional religious art.
Atelier Simon Marq, which has collaborated with artists such as Joan Miró and Raoul Dufy, is handling the technical realization of the windows. Tabouret said she also integrated references to the existing 19th century windows by Viollet le Duc, using geometric motifs in the background of each scene as a direct nod to the earlier designs.