French · Medieval Art and Architecture

Yearly Updates on the Notre-Dame de Paris Restoration

On April 15, 2019, a devastating fire tore through the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris, the most beloved and iconic of all Gothic buildings. Largely through the heroic efforts of Paris firefighters, the building was spared the total destruction that at one point seemed inevitable. However, the damage was extensive. Despite early negative forecasts and complications due to the pandemic, the reconstruction of Notre-Dame de Paris is well underway, and the restored building will look as much like the old one as possible. Almost every year since the fire, I have written something about the cathedral's current condition and the status of the restoration. You can find it all in this post.

Manuscripts · Medieval Art and Architecture

Astrology and Zodiac Signs in Medieval Art

Medieval Europeans were pretty serious about astrology. The belief that that stars and planets influenced daily life was fundamental to the medieval calendar and cycle of seasons. For this reason, zodiac signs appear all over medieval art and architecture, often in unexpected places. Check out some examples in my article for DailyArt Magazine.

French · Medieval Art and Architecture

My Level-Headed Update on Notre-Dame de Paris, One Year After the Fire

It has been exactly one year since the horrible fire that almost destroyed the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris. My article for DailyArt Magazine aims to be a balanced assessment of Notre-Dame's current status and also my celebration that the cathedral still stands on the first anniversary of its near destruction.