Louis XIII’s Gratitude to the Virgin Mary
In a sign of devotion to the Virgin Mary, Louis XIII committed himself through the Vow of 1638 to modify the choir of the cathedral and to offer a new high altar. Additionally, he commissioned Philippe de Champaigne to create a large painting in which he is depicted offering the scepter and the crown of France (“The Vow of Louis XIII,” 1638, Paris, Louvre Museum). Upon his death in 1643, the construction of the high altar remained pending.
The Works of Robert de Cotte
However, the works began at the end of Louis XIV’s reign, under the direction of Robert de Cotte. The project envisioned numerous transformations, carried out between 1708 and 1725. Eventually, the project started with the destruction of the rood screen. It continued with the excavation of a vault under the cathedral’s choir, intended for the archbishops of Paris. An ensemble of sculptures and liturgical objects completed this decorative program, complemented by new wooden stalls.
The High Altar and the Pieta
In 1723, the white marble Pieta sculpted by Nicolas Coustou was placed in the cathedral. It depicts the dead Christ laid on his mother’s lap, surrounded by two angels. The composition recalls Michelangelo’s Pieta in Florence. The deep drapery that catches the light and the ecstatic attitude of the Virgin expressing her emotion underline the Baroque character of this sculpture. The base, adorned with a gilded bronze relief, represents a Deposition from the Cross by Girardon, originally from the Louvois Chapel in the Church of the Capuchins. On either side of the high altar, six bronze statues of angels carry the instruments of the crucifixion, crafted by Antoine Vassé.
The Statues of Louis XIII and Louis XIV
Two statues of Louis XIII and Louis XIV flank the Pieta. Louis XIII, kneeling, offers his royal crown to the Virgin. This marble sculpture is the work of Guillaume Coustou. The other marble, sculpted by Antoine Coysevox, represents Louis XIV in coronation attire imploring the Virgin, with his right hand on his chest.
The Stalls
The stalls, installed on either side of the choir, are wooden seats allowing the canons to sit during the service. Adorned with bas-reliefs, the high backs illustrate the life of the Virgin: Presentation, Marriage, Annunciation, Nativity, Adoration of the Magi, Flight into Egypt, Wedding at Cana, Descent from the Cross, Assumption. Completing this ensemble, the allegorical figures represent virtues such as prudence or modesty. Between each stall, scrollwork decoration completes the scene.
The stalls form a homogeneous ensemble sculpted by Jean Noël and Louis Marteau, based on the plans of René Charpentier and Jean Dugoulon. Of the 114 wooden stalls made in the 18th century, only 78 remain today. Similarly, eight paintings originally topped the 18th-century stalls, of which only one survives: the “Visitation” by Jouvenet from 1716.
Topped by a canopy, the archiepiscopal stall is exclusively reserved for the archbishop. Opposite it is another stall of honor. In homage to the first bishops of Paris, one bas-relief depicts the martyrdom of Saint Denis, and the other the healing of Childebert I by Saint Germain. These sculptures are also the works of Antoine Vassé.
