Paris, Notre-Dame
Building Data for Paris, Notre-Dame
- Type: Cathedral
- Affiliation:
- Region: Ile-de-France
- Department: Paris
- Coords: 48.853, 2.3499
- Surveyed: 1969, 1972-74, 1977, 1980-83, 1992-98, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2012, 2017
Virtual Tour
| Studies |
X
These draft studies have been written as if all carvings were by an individual whereas they can equally be analysed as template modes employed by a number of carvers. The more personal approach was necessitated by the complexity of the data. The drafts will be reconsidered after I have added the rib vault material to the database. |
Capitals for Paris, Notre-Dame
X
The building sequence is based on my on-site analysis of the construction history,
using the techniques developed on the cathedral of Chartres called toichology, and described in a number of publications.
The analysis of some of the smaller churches are more approximate than I would like, and need further analysis.
I have used 'phase' rather than 'campaign' to to identify a contiguous zone with similar elements.
A campaign would be defined by recognisable breaks and construction joints in the fabric: there may be a number of phases within a campaign.
One benefit is that separate programs by subcontractors, such as carvers, may be isolated, which is particularly useful in complex sections, such as portals.
Every phase has been assigned to a decade, so there may be more than one phase in a decade.
While this is certainly imperfect, it will allow us to explore all the data, including costs, across time.
This is an on-going process, so as the data continues to be analyzed, the chronology and costing analysis will be further refined, and the synopsis updated.
Clicking on any of the decade graphics will display all buildings that had work being done during that decade.
X
The building sequence is based on my on-site analysis of the construction history, using the techniques developed on the cathedral of Chartres called toichology, and described in a number of publications. The analysis of some of the smaller churches are more approximate than I would like, and need further analysis.
I have used 'phase' rather than 'campaign' to to identify a contiguous zone with similar elements. A campaign would be defined by recognisable breaks and construction joints in the fabric: there may be a number of phases within a campaign. One benefit is that separate programs by subcontractors, such as carvers, may be isolated, which is particularly useful in complex sections, such as portals.
Every phase has been assigned to a decade, so there may be more than one phase in a decade.
While this is certainly imperfect, it will allow us to explore all the data, including costs, across time. This is an on-going process, so as the data continues to be analyzed, the chronology and costing analysis will be further refined, and the synopsis updated.
Clicking on any of the decade graphics will display all buildings that had work being done during that decade.
|
Phase 1 - 1140s [1143] - west tympanum
West tympanum, part of a western extension to an earlier building; remains have been excavated to show that the nave floor level was lower than the choir..
Rationale for dating : Ex two capitals
|
-
- Unknown - 1140s [1143]
- Paris- Phase 1
- Notre-Dame - west tympanum
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1140s [1143]
- Paris- Phase 1
- Notre-Dame - west tympanum
- total uncertainty
|
|
Phase 3 - 1140s [1146] - choir (a) walls
Choir aisle walls and some capitals, mainly on the northern side suggesting that work was interrupted partway through the upper walls; this was probably from the demands for the Crusade, and and therefore provides a fairly accurate date for these capitals.
Rationale for dating : "Add-a-chapel" scheme "Templatemakers" p.52 MCS - the Duke - Avatar 1146 because not all caps carved and therefore could have been the last work before crusade, but revised in Duke as style before St-Germain-des-Pres - Cyprian 1146 - Victoire I.
|
-
- Bouquet - !! - 1140s [1146]
- Paris- Phase 3
- Notre-Dame - choir (a) walls
- Core template
-
- Bouquet - !! - 1140s [1146]
- Paris- Phase 3
- Notre-Dame - choir (a) walls
- Core template
-
- Bouquet - !! - 1140s [1146]
- Paris- Phase 3
- Notre-Dame - choir (a) walls
- Core template
-
- Unknown - 1140s [1146]
- Paris- Phase 3
- Notre-Dame - choir (a) walls
- total uncertainty
-
- Bouquet - ! - 1140s [1146]
- Paris- Phase 3
- Notre-Dame - choir (a) walls
- Possibly from core template, very uncertain
|
Phase 4 - 1160s [1164] - choir walls II
Resumption of work on the choir walls with remaining capitals mainly on the south side; this suggests a small tilt in the construction from north to south, with the work closer to the river presumably requiring deeper foundations.
|
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1164]
- Paris- Phase 4
- Notre-Dame - choir walls II
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1164]
- Paris- Phase 4
- Notre-Dame - choir walls II
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1164]
- Paris- Phase 4
- Notre-Dame - choir walls II
- total uncertainty
-
- Loopy - 1160s [1164]
- Paris- Phase 4
- Notre-Dame - choir walls II
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1164]
- Paris- Phase 4
- Notre-Dame - choir walls II
- total uncertainty
|
|
Phase 5 - 1160s [1165] - choir piers (a)
Choir aisle piers in at least two large campaigns with aisle vaults
Rationale for dating : Analysed in "The Ark" 5:1053 and MCS on Cyprian, Lazare and Nazaire while working on the Laon gallery about this time.
|
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1165]
- Paris- Phase 5
- Notre-Dame - choir piers (a)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1165]
- Paris- Phase 5
- Notre-Dame - choir piers (a)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1165]
- Paris- Phase 5
- Notre-Dame - choir piers (a)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1165]
- Paris- Phase 5
- Notre-Dame - choir piers (a)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1165]
- Paris- Phase 5
- Notre-Dame - choir piers (a)
- total uncertainty
|
|
Phase 6 - 1160s [1166] - choir (g) I
gallery bases 1; choir gallery constructed slowly in four or more campaigns in a complex process that explains the many changes in profiles and details that remain in spite of extensive renovations
|
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1166]
- Paris- Phase 6
- Notre-Dame - choir (g) I
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1166]
- Paris- Phase 6
- Notre-Dame - choir (g) I
- total uncertainty
|
|
Phase 7 - 1160s [1167] - choir (g) II
gallery bases 2; capitals phase I starting in the north
Rationale for dating : capitals first stage; analysed in "The Ark" 5:1073 [*MCS - Fabrice]
|
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1167]
- Paris- Phase 7
- Notre-Dame - choir (g) II
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1167]
- Paris- Phase 7
- Notre-Dame - choir (g) II
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1167]
- Paris- Phase 7
- Notre-Dame - choir (g) II
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1167]
- Paris- Phase 7
- Notre-Dame - choir (g) II
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1167]
- Paris- Phase 7
- Notre-Dame - choir (g) II
- total uncertainty
|
|
Phase 8 - 1160s [1168] - choir (g) III
gallery bases 3; capitals phase II north gallery vault
|
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1168]
- Paris- Phase 8
- Notre-Dame - choir (g) III
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1168]
- Paris- Phase 8
- Notre-Dame - choir (g) III
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1168]
- Paris- Phase 8
- Notre-Dame - choir (g) III
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1168]
- Paris- Phase 8
- Notre-Dame - choir (g) III
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1168]
- Paris- Phase 8
- Notre-Dame - choir (g) III
- total uncertainty
|
|
Phase 9 - 1160s [1169] - choir (g) IV
Gallery bases 4 that are rectangular and suggest the matching profiles for the western crossing piers were set out at the same time; capitals phase III, middle vaults and walls raised to clerestory level at the crossing with two capitals, either in this campaign or the one before
Load More...
Rationale for dating : MCS - Lazare, Marcel, Gamma and possibly Cyprian who had worked together at Laon.
|
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1169]
- Paris- Phase 9
- Notre-Dame - choir (g) IV
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1169]
- Paris- Phase 9
- Notre-Dame - choir (g) IV
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1169]
- Paris- Phase 9
- Notre-Dame - choir (g) IV
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1169]
- Paris- Phase 9
- Notre-Dame - choir (g) IV
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1160s [1169]
- Paris- Phase 9
- Notre-Dame - choir (g) IV
- total uncertainty
|
Phase 10 - 1170s [1170] - choir (t,c)
Gallery capitals IV, remaining vaults. This was a slow period of construction, and once completed the rest of the choir walls were built rapidly.
|
-
- Unknown - 1170s [1170]
- Paris- Phase 10
- Notre-Dame - choir (t,c)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1170s [1170]
- Paris- Phase 10
- Notre-Dame - choir (t,c)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1170s [1170]
- Paris- Phase 10
- Notre-Dame - choir (t,c)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1170s [1170]
- Paris- Phase 10
- Notre-Dame - choir (t,c)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1170s [1170]
- Paris- Phase 10
- Notre-Dame - choir (t,c)
- total uncertainty
|
|
Phase 11 - 1170s [1175] - choir (t,c)
Choir triforium roses and clerestory; The area alongside the clerestory windows has been heavily restored, and many capitals replaced.
Those few that seem original, from weathering and appearance, are reproduced. The upper capitals were carved in the 70s, and the lower at the time the windows were altered in the 1220s.
Load More...
Rationale for dating : "The Ark" 3:81 and from the Canterbury analysis I would date these between 1177 and 1178, just the time that Torigny was visiting the site and remarked “The apse is about finished except for the great roof.”
|
-
- Unknown - 1170s [1175]
- Paris- Phase 11
- Notre-Dame - choir (t,c)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1170s [1175]
- Paris- Phase 11
- Notre-Dame - choir (t,c)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1170s [1175]
- Paris- Phase 11
- Notre-Dame - choir (t,c)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1170s [1175]
- Paris- Phase 11
- Notre-Dame - choir (t,c)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1170s [1175]
- Paris- Phase 11
- Notre-Dame - choir (t,c)
- total uncertainty
|
|
Phase 12 - 1170s [1177] - choir (cw)
choir clerestory windows designed for a lower junction against the wall, possibly the stage described in the Torigny letter of 1177.
Rationale for dating : Torigny letter
|
-
- Unknown - 1170s [1177]
- Paris- Phase 12
- Notre-Dame - choir (cw)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1170s [1177]
- Paris- Phase 12
- Notre-Dame - choir (cw)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1170s [1177]
- Paris- Phase 12
- Notre-Dame - choir (cw)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1170s [1177]
- Paris- Phase 12
- Notre-Dame - choir (cw)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1170s [1177]
- Paris- Phase 12
- Notre-Dame - choir (cw)
- total uncertainty
|
Phase 15 - 1190s [1192] - nave 1-6 (a)
nave aisle capitals 1-6, arcade arches and aisle vaults
Rationale for dating : decadic range "The Ark" 1:688
|
-
- Unknown - 1190s [1192]
- Paris- Phase 15
- Notre-Dame - nave 1-6 (a)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1190s [1192]
- Paris- Phase 15
- Notre-Dame - nave 1-6 (a)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1190s [1192]
- Paris- Phase 15
- Notre-Dame - nave 1-6 (a)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1190s [1192]
- Paris- Phase 15
- Notre-Dame - nave 1-6 (a)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1190s [1192]
- Paris- Phase 15
- Notre-Dame - nave 1-6 (a)
- total uncertainty
|
Phase 16 - 1200s [1200] - nave 7- (a)
Foundations extended gradually to the west during the 90s, and pilier cantonne to bay 8, capitals all in the 1200s.
Rationale for dating : Decadic range "The Ark" 2:928
|
-
- Unknown - 1200s [1200]
- Paris- Phase 16
- Notre-Dame - nave 7- (a)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1200s [1200]
- Paris- Phase 16
- Notre-Dame - nave 7- (a)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1200s [1200]
- Paris- Phase 16
- Notre-Dame - nave 7- (a)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1200s [1200]
- Paris- Phase 16
- Notre-Dame - nave 7- (a)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1200s [1200]
- Paris- Phase 16
- Notre-Dame - nave 7- (a)
- total uncertainty
|
|
Phase 17 - 1200s [1204] - west portals
coursing around the western portals wall shows that capitals over W.s installed when jambs of W-w half up and W.n plinths just started in a complex history; allowing for replacements all capitals appear from the same epoch
Rationale for dating : decadic range "The Ark" 2:939
|
-
- Unknown - 1200s [1204]
- Paris- Phase 17
- Notre-Dame - west portals
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1200s [1204]
- Paris- Phase 17
- Notre-Dame - west portals
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1200s [1204]
- Paris- Phase 17
- Notre-Dame - west portals
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1200s [1204]
- Paris- Phase 17
- Notre-Dame - west portals
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1200s [1204]
- Paris- Phase 17
- Notre-Dame - west portals
- total uncertainty
|
|
Phase 18 - 1200s [1206] - nave 1-6 (g)
nave gallery 1-6, in stages as shown by joint WN3-4 in wall
Rationale for dating : decadic range "The Ark" 2:934
|
-
- Unknown - 1200s [1206]
- Paris- Phase 18
- Notre-Dame - nave 1-6 (g)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1200s [1206]
- Paris- Phase 18
- Notre-Dame - nave 1-6 (g)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1200s [1206]
- Paris- Phase 18
- Notre-Dame - nave 1-6 (g)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1200s [1206]
- Paris- Phase 18
- Notre-Dame - nave 1-6 (g)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1200s [1206]
- Paris- Phase 18
- Notre-Dame - nave 1-6 (g)
- total uncertainty
|
Phase 20 - 1210s [1210] - nave 8-11 (g)
nave gallery 8-11, clerestory 1-7 in a number of campaigns
Rationale for dating : "The Ark" 2:1015
|
-
- Unknown - 1210s [1210]
- Paris- Phase 20
- Notre-Dame - nave 8-11 (g)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1210s [1210]
- Paris- Phase 20
- Notre-Dame - nave 8-11 (g)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1210s [1210]
- Paris- Phase 20
- Notre-Dame - nave 8-11 (g)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1210s [1210]
- Paris- Phase 20
- Notre-Dame - nave 8-11 (g)
- total uncertainty
|
Phase 21 - 1220s - choir (c)
Replace choir triforium oculi and lower the clerestory window sills, then install the high vault, while the roof was raised and the cornice height increased by two courses to bring the choir to the same height as the nave.
Rationale for dating : The evidence that suggests the rib vaults of the choir were not erected at this time is that the bosses have large and realistic foliage more reminiscent of the aisles at Chartres from around 1200 than the 70s; that the top of the roof cornices in the nave and choir are at the same level and have the same detailing, but around the choir the cornice is three courses high, whereas the nave is only one, suggesting that the choir walls were completed and roofed (as at Chartres) but the vaults were left out and not completed until the 20s while they got on with the work in the nave; this would have made it easier to enlarge the clerestory windows as there were no vaults in the way. They may have been built at the same time as the eastern bays of the nave, and to the same height, which made it necessary to raise the cornice in the choir to the same height as the nave.
|
-
- Unknown - 1220s []
- Paris- Phase 21
- Notre-Dame - choir (c)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1220s []
- Paris- Phase 21
- Notre-Dame - choir (c)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1220s []
- Paris- Phase 21
- Notre-Dame - choir (c)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1220s []
- Paris- Phase 21
- Notre-Dame - choir (c)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1220s []
- Paris- Phase 21
- Notre-Dame - choir (c)
- total uncertainty
|
|
Phase 24 - 1220s - west (g,c)
west clerestory and vaults; west front to top of tower I, clerestory nave western three 6-part vaults with big bosses
|
-
- Unknown - 1220s []
- Paris- Phase 24
- Notre-Dame - west (g,c)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1220s []
- Paris- Phase 24
- Notre-Dame - west (g,c)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1220s []
- Paris- Phase 24
- Notre-Dame - west (g,c)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1220s []
- Paris- Phase 24
- Notre-Dame - west (g,c)
- total uncertainty
-
- Unknown - 1220s []
- Paris- Phase 24
- Notre-Dame - west (g,c)
- total uncertainty
