French artist Claire Tabouret is presenting her full-scale maquettes for Notre-Dame Cathedral's new stained glass windows at the Grand Palais in Paris, in an exhibition titled "In a Single Breath." The six windows, each over 20 feet tall, were selected by a committee from over 100 submissions last December, replacing 19th-century designs by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. The project has sparked controversy: conservation group Sites and Monuments launched a petition with over 328,000 signatures and a legal case arguing the replacement violates the 1964 Venice Charter and French historic monuments law. A Paris administrative court ruled in favor of the state in late November, but the group plans to appeal. Tabouret's designs are now being fabricated by the historic Atelier Simon-Marq glass workshop.
The controversy matters because it highlights a fundamental tension in heritage preservation: whether to restore historic buildings exactly as they were or allow contemporary interventions that mark the present era. Tabouret's windows, which depict the Pentecost theme and balance colors to maintain the cathedral's "white light," represent a significant artistic commission in one of the world's most famous landmarks. The outcome could set a precedent for how France—and other nations—handle restoration of culturally vital sites after disasters. Tabouret herself draws parallels to earlier Parisian controversies over Daniel Buren's Palais Royal columns and I.M. Pei's Louvre Pyramid, both now beloved icons, suggesting the windows may eventually be embraced.