In an interview with Ouest-France, Stéphane Bern reaffirms his opposition to contemporary stained glass windows which should be installed in the Notre-Dame de Paris building. He warns of potential future appeals on the installation of these new stained glass windows.
“I don’t think we’re any closer to seeing these stained glass windows.” In an interview with Ouest France, Stéphane Bern, host and defender of heritage, reiterates his opposition to the replacement of certain stained glass windows of Notre-Dame de Paris with contemporary stained glass windows.
The idea of these contemporary stained glass windows is defended in particular by Emmanuel Macron, supporting a request from the Archbishop of Paris. The stated objective being to “mark a trace” of the fire in the restored building. At the end of a competition, it was the French artist Claire Tabouret who was chosen on December 18, against eight candidates in the running.
“I have nothing against Claire Tabouret or against contemporary stained glass windows. There are some at Chartres Cathedral and I participated in the collection. But I am in favor of them when the old ones are destroyed or deteriorated. We cannot not remove stained glass windows classified as a Historic Monument”, insists Stéphane Bern in Ouest-France.
“Why does the State free itself from the rules it imposes on others? Just because the president wants it?”, questions Stéphane Bern.
“A wish from the president”
Last July, the National Commission for Heritage and Architecture issued an unfavorable opinion on the removal of the stained glass windows. For the facilitator and defender of heritage, “opposing this, with the approval of the Minister of Culture” will lead to appeals against the project. “I don’t think we’re close to seeing these stained glass windows. And then 4 million euros, does France have them now?”, he raises.
It would be preferable, according to him, to use the funds still available for Notre-Dame to restore important elements of the building: the pinables, the flying buttresses. He also pleads for a “museum of the work” in order to tell “the behind the scenes, the works, or to exhibit the miraculously found rooster”.
“The money would be better used in contemporary stained glass windows instead of those of Viollet-Le-Duc. But hey, it's a wish of the president. So what the President wants, God wants, I have the impression!”, he raises.
Opponents have already launched a petition for over a year. This, carried by Didier Ryknerfounder of the media La Tribune de l'Art, has collected more than 248,000 signatures to date.
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