Annabelle Ténèze, director of the Louvre-Lens, recommends five recently published books that explore the Gothic period and its enduring influence. The books range from the official history of Notre-Dame's restoration after the 2019 fire to an anthology linking Gothic aesthetics to contemporary art, a catalogue for the 'Gothic Modern' exhibition at Vienna's Albertina Museum, a study of 19th-century medieval forgeries tied to the Musée de Cluny, and a Batman comic set in Barcelona's Gothic architecture. These recommendations accompany the Louvre-Lens exhibition 'Gothicisms,' which argues that Gothic art never truly disappeared.
This article matters because it frames the Gothic not as a closed historical period but as a living, evolving aesthetic that continues to shape visual culture, architecture, and even pop culture. By connecting a major museum exhibition to accessible reading recommendations, it highlights how institutions are reinterpreting art history for contemporary audiences, bridging scholarly research with public engagement. The inclusion of a comic book alongside academic texts also signals a broadening of what is considered worthy of art-historical attention.