French artist Claire Tabouret has unveiled her designs for new stained-glass windows at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. The full-scale ink-on-paper maquettes are now on display at the Grand Palais as part of her solo exhibition "In a Single Breath," running through March 15. The exhibition also includes sketches and preparatory works, offering insight into the production process at the Simon-Marq atelier. Tabouret was selected in December 2024 from over 100 artists in a competition hosted by the French Ministry of Culture, tasked with creating contemporary designs based on the Pentecost story. Her windows will replace 19th-century monochrome windows by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc and Jean-Baptiste Lassus in six bays along the south aisle of the nave.
This commission matters because it reignites a longstanding debate over artistic intervention in historic Parisian landmarks. Preservationists argue that replacing undamaged 19th-century windows violates heritage guidelines, while Tabouret defends the project as cautious and harmonious. The controversy highlights tensions between conservation and contemporary artistic expression in sacred spaces. Tabouret's selection also marks a significant milestone in her career, reflecting her rapid rise in the art world, and positions her work within a broader conversation about the role of contemporary art in historic religious architecture.