When the fire spread through the roof of Notre Dame de Paris on April 15, 2019, we all looked on in horror. However as bad as it looked, it could have been far worse, and in the days following hopeful little signs appeared.
Statues, paintings, and important relics were saved as well as another treasure that few knew even existed. Rolled up and pushed away in a large box under some benches was a carpet so grand that it lay in the choir to baptize a prince. Over 80 feet long and rolled away it was drowned in two tons of water. When Herve Lemoine, director of the Mobilier National had a chance to see the carpet he was worried it would be damaged beyond repair.
Unrolled, dried, frozen, and deprived of oxygen to kill any insects they were pleased to see the carpet was in very good shape except for a few dark spots. Named the Drap d'Or (cloth of gold), the carpet dates back to 1825 when King Charles X had it commissioned to be placed in the church when he was in attendance for mass. Created from the drawing by Jacques Louis de la Hamayde de Saint-Ange the carpet went through a few changes before it was ever finished.
The Manufacture Royale de la Savonnerie was tasked with the job of weaving the immense carpet. On September 15, 1825, at a former soap factory near the Trocadero that was large enough to hold the loom, the weaving began.
Saint-Ange design included a large white cross with the French coat of arms in the center the monogram of Charles X. Fleur-de-Lis and the necklace of the order of St Michel and the Holy Spirit encircled the coat of arms. Golden vines with grapes and colorful leaves wind around the cornucopias with a neo-classical reliquary on the lower portion. Around a large candlestick are a miter and other attributes of the church that are around the symbols of the four evangelists. At the top an eagle of St John, the angel of St Matthews, Lion of St Marc, and Ox of St Luke.
The Three Glorious Days that marked the Revolution that ousted Charles X put a halt to the project and the design of the carpet. Under Louis-Phillippe the Bourbon symbols were removed and the fleur-de-lis and necklace as well as any markings of the former king. It was finally completed in 1833 and was placed in the Galerie d’Apollon of the Louvre for all to see. On May 2, 1841, it would be used for the first event in Notre Dame, the baptism of the grandson of Louis-Philippe, Philippe d’Orleans.
Under Napoleon III, it was used for the baptism of his son, Prince Louis Napoleon on June 14, 1856. Following the end of the 2nd empire, the carpet was used once more for a visit of Tsar Nicolas II until it was rolled away for over 80 years. A papal visitation by John Paul II was a great reason to use the colorful carpet once more on May 30, 1980. Mostly forgotten and rolled away, it would return in 2017 for a 10 day exhibit open to the public just after Christmas on January 4th.
Following the fire and the months of treatment to rid it of insects, it was a real treat to see it in person at the 2019 Journée du Patrimoine in the Mobilier National. The colors are stunning and vibrant and all the emotions and tears came to the surface as soon as I saw it.
On July 7, 2022, the restoration of the carpet began by a highly skilled group of masters trained in historic repair. In a large room with looms with massive windows so the natural light streams in they work for endless hours on each detail of the treasured carpet. The carpet weighs over a thousand pounds and a dozen men are needed to lift and shift it just a few more inches. Luckily the carpet was in amazing shape after the fire, although the lower portion at one point was glued to the canvas with fish skin adhesive in the 19th century and has hardened making it impossible to get a needle through.
They will replace the edging and any dark spots and hopefully will return to Notre Dame or the museum dedicated to her long life for us all to see once more.
We will have to see if they will return it on display this September during the Journée du Patrimoine weekend but if you are in Paris plan a trip to the Mobilier National, just in case.
Notre Dame Doors
The old saying goes that the devil is in the details, and maybe this Paris legend is where that expression was born. In the 13th century, a young locksmith named Biscornet said he had a faster and less expensive way of forging iron. With his lofty promises, he was given the task of creating the hinges, decoration, and locks for the great doors of the front of the Notre Dame de Paris. Overwhelmed by his promise and toiling away for months he finally asked for help. When his helper arrived a few days later, they found Biscornet asleep in his workshop in front of the doors. The three sets of doors were finished and, as you can still see today, beautiful. The legend has it that he sold his soul to the devil to complete the monumental task and died shortly thereafter. With the doors in place at the inauguration of the church, nobody could open them, not until a priest sprinkled the lock with holy water and it released and opened.
Today in the Musée Nationale de Moyen Age (Cluny) you can find pieces of the original 13th-century ironwork by Biscornet. Much of the ironwork seen on the doors today dates to the 19th-century reconstruction by Viollet-le-Duc.
The Vow of Louis XIII
Inside Notre Dame de Paris on the high altar closed off to visitors is Nicolas Coustou’s Descent from the Cross. It’s been a popular subject in art going far back in time, but this one has something none of the others have. Yes, of course, it is in Notre Dame de Paris, but this one is also linked to two kings.
On February 10, 1638, Louis XIII's wife, Anne of Austria was finally with a child after 23 years (she had 2 to 4 miscarriages) and he vowed to the Virgin Mary his kingdom for his unborn child. He wanted a lavish statue created for the high altar of Notre Dame, however, these things take time and Louis XIII died in 1643, and would never see it started. His son Louis XIV took on the project in 1699, 61 years after “the vow” construction of the statue finally began.
Flanking either side of the Pieta is Louis XIII & XIV. On the right Louis XIII on his knee offered the virgin his scepter and crown and on the left Louis XIV was kneeling and completed the vow all done by the Coustou family. Guillaume, Nicolas, and Uncle Antoine Coysevox. They are surrounded by angels holding instruments of the Passion. Finally finished under Louis XV in 1723.
Normally this area is closed off and only worshipers are able to go in I was dying to get in to see these statues. Many times I would get up each morning and go straight to Notre Dame at 7:30 am as the doors were open. I could have the entire place to myself and really take in every detail. One morning while trying to get in a bit closer I was stopped by one of the sweet men that clean each day. I had asked others many times if I could go in when no one was worshiping and was always told no. This early morning the man walked up to me while I stood in the transept and asked if I wanted to go in. He said he watched me every morning, taking my time, and making notes with such a look of awe on my face. He led me right in and it is a moment I will never forget, especially now.
The day after the fire when we got our first glimpse inside the cathedral in photos, there she was. The Pieta in front of the large gold cross and the Louis on either side, rising above the embers, an image no one will ever forget.
8 months from today Notre Dame de Paris will once again reopen to the faithful and those who love this amazing cathedral