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- 1. France, début du XIIIe siècle
Torse drapé
(Fragment du jubé de Notre-Dame)
Pierre calcaire polychrome
Photo : Didier Rykner - See the image in its page
Last July, we wrote an article about "the obstruction of INRAP", which did not want to give access to the fragments of sculptures from the rood screen of the cathedral discovered during the preventive excavations at the transept crossing. It’s a shame that this institute did not tell us the reasons for this refusal. As the person in charge of the excavations told us today, when these works were first presented to the press in the presence of the French Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, there were good reasons for this, linked to their preventive conservation, which we were considering at the time but which was never confirmed to us by INRAP. In reality, these works of art, with their very fragile polychromy, could not be handled for display until they had been studied. If this is still the case - restoration work to fix the polychromy is due to start soon [1] - it is now possible to show the essential elements.
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- 2. France, début du XIIIe siècle
Tête
(Fragment du jubé de Notre-Dame)
Pierre calcaire polychrome
Photo : Didier Rykner - See the image in its page
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- 3. France, début du XIIIe siècle
Tête
(Fragment du jubé de Notre-Dame)
Pierre calcaire polychrome
Photo : Didier Rykner - See the image in its page
And as expected, the result is dazzling. Of the no fewer than 1,035 fragments of various sizes that have been found, 700 of which display polychromy that is sometimes very well preserved, some are of such quality that it’s no exaggeration to say that they are some of the most exceptional works of sculpture from any period in the world.
In fact, among the pieces we were able to access, we recognised some of those that were still in the ground when we visited the excavation site (see news item of 25/3/22). Such as this draped figure (ill. 1) or this head (ill. 2), whose polychromy is still well preserved over the entire surface, right down to the pupils of the eyes painted blue. It is rare, if not unique, to see sculptures from the early 13th century in such a good state of preservation.
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- 4. France, début du XIIIe siècle
Christ portant sa croix
(fragment du jubé de Notre-Dame)
Pierre calcaire polychrome
Photo : Didier Rykner - See the image in its page
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- 5. France, début du XIIIe siècle
Frise végétale et éléments d’architecture
(fragment du jubé de Notre-Dame)
Pierre calcaire polychrome
Photo : Didier Rykner - See the image in its page
We are reproducing here some of the finest works we were able to admire in this building, located in a place whose address is logically kept secret, in the Paris region. It also preserves - but we were not able to see them, as this requires a rather cumbersome procedure due to the lead pollution - all the remains of the framework (no fewer than 15 000 fragments) and the burnt stone recovered after the fire and meticulously catalogued for study.
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- 6. France, début du XIIIe siècle
Personnage (les doigts du pied sont sculptés alors qu’ils n’étaient pas visibles)
(fragment du jubé de Notre-Dame)
Pierre calcaire polychrome
Photo : Didier Rykner - See the image in its page
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- 7. Stockage provisoire d’éléments du jubé
Photo : Didier Rykner - See the image in its page
While the largest fragments can be seen in crates (ill. 7), other smaller fragments are preserved in boxes carefully stored on shelves (ill. 8). For the time being, it is impossible to touch or handle them, so we can only guess at some of the wonders they contain. All the elements that retain traces of polychrome will be treated to stabilise the pictorial layer, and all of them will be digitised to help create the most faithful virtual reconstruction of the rood screen possible, which should also help with the museum display at the Musée de l’Œuvre.
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- 8. Stockage provisoire d’éléments du jubé
Photo : Didier Rykner - See the image in its page
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- 9. France, début du XIIIe siècle
Éléments d’architecture
(fragment du jubé de Notre-Dame)
Pierre calcaire polychrome
Photo : Didier Rykner - See the image in its page
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- 9. France, début du XIIIe siècle
Tête
(Fragment du jubé de Notre-Dame)
Pierre calcaire polychrome
Photo : Didier Rykner - See the image in its page
This necessarily leads to the question of continuing excavations on the choir side, where we know that other parts of the rood screen are almost certainly still buried. We have already raised this issue on several occasions, but so far the position of the Ministry of Culture and the President of the Republic has not moved an inch. Inexplicably, they refuse to allow the worksite to continue outside the rescue operations. This is an incomprehensible position, given that we have both the opportunity and the necessary funding, and there is nothing to prevent work from continuing while the cathedral is open to the public. All that would need to be done is to move the new altar westwards so that masses can be held normally, while confining the choir, if necessary behind a transparent enclosure that would allow all visitors to see the excavations in progress. Such a project could last six months to a year. It would also provide an opportunity to find other sculptures of the same quality.
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- 10. France, début du XIIIe siècle
Pieds
(Fragment du jubé de Notre-Dame)
Pierre calcaire polychrome
Photo : Didier Rykner - See the image in its page
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- 11. France, début du XIIIe siècle
Éléments décoratifs végétaux
(Fragment du jubé de Notre-Dame)
Pierre calcaire polychrome
Photo : Didier Rykner - See the image in its page
Not only are there no plans for this, but INRAP officials are forbidden to talk about it, which is quite incredible. Let’s say it again, and the photographs are there to prove it: it would be unforgivable to leave such splendours in the cathedral floor. The excavations must continue.