Posted on 10/24/2015 2:00:54 PM PDT by NYer
If you have not been following the art and architecture comentariat of late—and after all, that’s what you read me for—then you may be unaware of a tempest brewing around the restoration of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Chartres, France. Universally considered to be one of the greatest works of architecture on the planet, the Medieval architecture of Chartres and its magnificent stained-glass windows have inspired writers, artists and composers, as well as many imitators. Beginning in 2008 the French government began to restore the building and in the process has removed much of the soot, dust and grime accumulated over the centuries.
In doing so, experts working on the project claim that they are bringing back the building to something like its original appearance, based on the discoveries they are making as they go. “Non!” shout other experts, however, decrying the work at Chartres as a scientific and architectural disaster. Their complaint is that “new” Chartres is too clean, too white, and too speculative in appearance, and that the building is being ruined through irresponsible intervention. This fight has raged in the art press for years now, and shows no sign of abating.
Why should a single building, even a church, cause so much consternation among so many people? The answer comes from the particular importance of Chartres itself, which embodies fundamental changes in human experience which today might seem so commonplace as to be easily overlooked. For at the risk of oversimplification, which is inevitable in a brief article such as this, Chartres represents a turning point both in science and in the Western understanding of man’s relationship with the Divine.
On a scientific level Chartres is a major piece of technology. Today, when most of us live or work in buildings whose walls are composed either entirely of glass or feature significant expanses of that material, it is easy for us to forget that this was once a practical impossibility. Previously, a building’s walls were used primarily for the purpose of protection from the elements, animals or other humans. The thicker and more impenetrable the wall the better.
Advances in the study and understanding of engineering, physics and chemistry, among other areas, made it possible for the builders of Chartres to alter the way that humans design and use a permanent structure. Instead of being a closed space designed to keep nature out, Chartres employs nature to achieve a greater purpose. In effect, the walls of Cathedral become a means to a double end.
At Chartres, the basic, utilitarian purpose of the structure—protection—is achieved, but at the same time this purpose is turned to a theological end: faith. The walls of the Cathedral still keep out the sun and the rain, the birds and the bugs, the Moors and the Huns in order to provide a safe place for human beings to gather and worship. However, in achieving this result through the use of copious amounts of colored glass set in comparatively thin walls, the builders of Chartres were able to achieve their purpose of persuading the visitor to fundamentally reexamine his own life. That is no small feat for a structure built 8 centuries ago, without the use of computers or modern machinery.
This purpose is highly important to keep in mind because whatever its scientific glories, Chartres was and still is, first and foremost, a house of Christian worship. While it was not the first Gothic building in the world, let alone in France, it is without question one of the finest. As a major touchstone for the Gothic style, it represents on a theological level a significant shift in man’s attitude toward the divine.
Recall that previously, houses of worship were often rather gloomy places, even if impressively sized on the outside and elaborately decorated on the inside. Structures like the Ancient Egyptian temples at Karnak, the Holy of Holies at the Temple in Jerusalem and the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople were designed to evoke the divine as someone all-powerful, mysterious and ultimately unknowable, but to a chosen few. Even on those rare occasions when light finds its way into such structures, as in the Pantheon in Rome, it was usually somewhat limited in its penetration.
With the arrival of Gothic architecture, most notably at Chartres, God is still God, but man is no longer incapable of perceiving him. This is a house of worship in which the visitor is meant to feel joy, both for being a part of God’s creation, collectively, and for being someone who God loves, individually, warts and all. Without denying divine power, let alone judgment and ultimate punishment for sin—indeed, openly warning of it in its decoration—Chartres and the many churches that subsequently copied it encourage those who pass within its walls to live in hope rather than despair.
No matter where you go inside a church like Chartres, light touches you. You are surrounded by and enveloped in it as you move in and out of the structural elements which comprise the building. While the effect of being in such a space is still overwhelming, making you realize just how small you are in the scheme of things, at the same time you are drawn to and embraced by the majestic beauty around you. Realizing that you are not forgotten by a distant God, tucked away somewhere in the dark, but rather known and cared for by him regardless of your station in life is what sets Christianity apart. The same, jewel-toned light of heaven that illuminates the priest or the king falls equally upon the layman and the peasant.
Criticism of the ongoing program of restoration at Chartres will no doubt continue for years, as it has for other significant restoration projects whose results have been controversial—most notably that of the Sistine Chapel some years ago. The debate as to whether Chartres should be dirty and dingy, white and sparkly or something in between will occupy the art and architecture comentariat for years to come. Yet regardless, the fact that people are once again looking at and talking about the importance of this monument to the Christian faith is ultimately a good thing. Merely talking about this church may not fill up its pews, but as part of a rediscovery the rich treasury of Catholic culture and its influence on the world we inhabit today, it certainly cannot hurt.
Great story, and welcome to the family of God!
God bless you in Christ.
Very insightful. Now that you say that, I see it exactly - that odd note which both of them have. Like someone complaining about someone they have lost - unrequited love.
Indeed. Some art historians believe that Michelangelo actually used a black carbon wash to accentuate the deeper shadows and contrasts, and that the restoration removed that, leaving it unintentionally “gaudy”, as you saw it.
This is only speculation, because nobody knows what the artist really intended.
Perhaps a few centuries of incense and candles will help “restore” some of its former subtlety! LOL!
The internet is an amazing resource; I think of it as the present day equivalent of the Great Library of Alexandria. Check out the link posted above to the Chartres windows. It serves as a key; click each link to open up a large image of the particular window.
Like you, I also visited the Sistine Chapel but it was prior to the restoration. The colors were subdued as a result of centuries of soot. You can take a 360 degree, virtual tour at this VATICAN web site.
Michelangelo was truly a Renaissance giant.
Check out the following video. This video has been dramatically enhanced in quality, using modern video editing tools. The film has been motion stabilized and the speed has been slowed down to correct speed (from 18 fps to 24 fps) using special frame interpolation software that re-creates missing frames. Upscaling to HD quality was done using video enhancer software.
Amazing Footage of England in the Edwardian era, ca. 1900s
It is absolutely mesmerizing.
Thanks, will check it out!
Thank you for sharing that!
http://www.gotquestions.org/cleanliness-next-godliness.html
Yes, it’s a Protestant saying. It does show a certain misguided understanding of what is means to be godly, but it is best to be clean.
Now I'm confused. I stand second to no one in my appreciation of Chartres, but all along I understood that it was faith in Jesus and His finished work that actually saves souls. Who knew?!
I didn't know anything like that existed showing so much daily life.
It’s like being transported back in time. Watched it several times and come away with different observations each time. They all seem to be in good shape - no wheelchairs, crutches, canes. People walked and their physiques are slim - only a few individuals who might be considered on the chubbier side. Facial expressions are relaxed - don’t see evidence of worry or concern. As noted, it’s mesmerizing.
And nearly every man is using tobacco . . .
No one had any idea the calamities that were about to befall Europe and ultimately lead to profound changes in Britain, loss of the Empire and the emergence of new and stronger powers. It was a remarkable moment in history.
Thanks for sharing that. As someone who grew up attending Mass at a large and beautiful church, I know how architecture can help you connect to the sense of the divine.
Google says it is German for Cathedral.
Beautiful cathedral. Studied a number of these in college ... this one was my favorite. Seeing it is in my bucket list.
I always thought it was usually “Dom” as in “Kolner Dom” for Cologne Cathedral, or alternatively “Kathedrale”.
but, “machs nichts.”
Yes, faith in Christ who used this stunning edifice to touch the heart of an unbeliever and chased him down until he fell in love.
Because you used the phrase "Christ...chased him down," you may already be acquainted with the poem The Hound of Heaven, which is based on that metaphor. If not, there's a link.
It is never the building or the art or the person,it is God using those things to help us ‘see”.That is assumed in the title.I never for a second thought the author was saying that a building saved him.And yes, I know the poem well.Thank you for the link.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.