The “Mays” of Notre-Dame

View

The May Offering by the Goldsmiths’ Guild

On May 1, 1449, the Parisian goldsmiths’ guild initiated the tradition of offering a “May” to Notre-Dame de Paris. The form of these offerings evolved over time: from a tree decorated with ribbons, to a tabernacle adorned with biblical scenes from 1482 to 1604, and then from 1606 to 1629, a triangular tabernacle with a painted panel called “petit may”.

The Acts of the Apostles

With the Renaissance, large-format religious paintings began to appear in churches. In 17th-century Paris, large painted altarpieces decorated the main altars. Starting in 1630, large canvases over three meters high, illustrating the Acts of the Apostles, replaced the small Mays. The fifth book of the New Testament, written by Saint Luke, collects the narratives concerning the Acts of the Apostles, recounting the missionary activities of the first disciples of Jesus.

The themes of these paintings were chosen in collaboration with the cathedral canons, inviting painters to submit their sketches.

An Opportunity for Painters

Initially placed in front of the Virgin’s altar, the large Mays were later hung on the pillars of the central nave. As the collection grew, their locations changed, with some found in the chapels, arcades of the choir, or the ambulatory. The selected artists were usually members of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, founded in 1648. Receiving a May commission was a coveted honor, often given to young, promising painters. At a time when museums did not exist, displaying a work in the cathedral provided a permanent public exhibition opportunity. These commissions became competitive, encouraging artists to perfect their works to enhance their reputations. Collectors often sought to acquire the sketches or commission second versions of the paintings.

A Partially Preserved Series of Paintings

In 1708, the dissolution of the goldsmiths’ guild due to financial difficulties ended the tradition of May offerings. In 1793, revolutionaries seized the large Mays along with other ecclesiastical assets. Of the seventy-three paintings commissioned between 1630 and 1707, only fifty-one were recovered and are now housed in the Petits-Augustins Museum or the Louvre. The production of religious paintings in 17th-century Paris remains emblematic of artistic excellence, though changes in taste led some works to flourish while others were neglected.

In the 19th century, Eugene Viollet-le-Duc, considering the decor cumbersome and outdated, selected only a few works to decorate the cathedral’s chapels during the restoration. The remaining paintings were distributed across France to various churches, the Louvre Museum, and regional fine arts museums.

Paintings Displayed in Notre-Dame’s Chapels Before the 2019 Fire:

• The Coming of the Holy Spirit by Jacques Blanchard – 1634
• Saint Peter healing the sick with his shadow by Laurent de la Hyre – 1635
• The conversion of Saint Paul by Laurent de la Hyre – 1637
• The Centurion Cornelius at the Feet of Saint Peter by Aubin Vouet – 1639
• The Preaching of Saint Peter in Jerusalem by Charles Poerson – 1642
• The Crucifixion of Saint Peter by Sébastien Bourdon – 1643
• The Crucifixion of Saint Andrew by Charles Le Brun – 1647
• Saint Paul Blinding the False Prophet Bar-Jesus and Converting the Proconsul Sergius by Nicolas Loir – 1650
• The Stoning of Saint Stephen by Charles Le Brun – 1651
• The Flagellation of Saints Paul and Silas by Louis Testelin – 1655
• Saint Andrew Rejoicing at the Sight of His Torture by Gabriel Blanchard – 1670
• The Prophet Agabus Predicting to Saint Paul His Sufferings in Jerusalem by Louis Chéron – 1687
• The Sons of Sceva Beaten by the Demon by Mathieu Elias – 1702

Imprimer