Statues designed by Viollet-le-Duc
They depict the twelve Apostles and the winged symbols of the four Evangelists (the Tetramorph: the lion, the bull, the man, and the eagle). Positioned at the four corners of the transept crossing, as if descending from the spire, they were conceived by Viollet-le-Duc in 1858 and crafted by the Monduit workshops based on models by the sculptor Adolphe-Victor Geoffroy-Decheaume.
Each statue is composed of hammered copper sheets welded together. They are supported by an iron framework mounted on a mast that connects them to the building. The twelve largest statues measure nearly 3.4 meters and weigh nearly 140 kg, while the other four measure nearly 2 meters and weigh 65 kg.
Over time, numerous signs of mechanical damage to the metal had become apparent (cracks, impacts, deformations, loose joints, and faulty fastenings), leading the Ile-de-France Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs (DRAC) to launch a restoration project for the spire—including the statues—in 2017, under the supervision of Philippe Villeneuve, Chief Architect of Historic Monuments.
It was in preparation for this restoration that the statues were removed from the spire on April 11, 2019—just a few days before the fire that would devastate it—thus allowing them to survive: it is therefore the originals that Parisians admire today against the skyline of the capital!
Restoration in the Workshop (2019–2021)
The Apostles and Evangelists were restored, in accordance with the plan established before the fire, in a workshop in the Dordogne following a precise protocol. Separated from the disassembled copper sheets, the framework is first inspected, and its damaged parts are replaced with identical ones to match the statue’s shape down to the smallest detail. This is the work of the metalworker.
At the points where they join the copper plates, these elements are also coated with Teflon to prevent chemical reactions and eliminate any risk of electrolysis.
The coppersmith, for his part, strips the hammered copper sheets using micro-polishing, which removes the verdigris—a sign of oxidation—that covered them. Once the metal is exposed, he corrects any distortions by hammering the sheet and fills in the holes with patches. The copper sheets are then soldered back together with great precision and attached to the framework.
The patina finisher, in this case a female patiner, then takes the stage. Their restoration provides an opportunity to rediscover the statues’ original hue—a beautiful chocolate-brown patina, the color of bronze—as seen in old photographs of the spire. The restorer applies a first layer of sodium to the copper, followed by a second layer of barège—a sulfur-based mixture—applied with a brush while cold. This briefly oxidizes the metal: it is this initial stage of oxidation that gives the metal, which is pinkish in its raw state, the appearance of bronze. This process is stopped in time by applying a thin layer of wax, heated with a blowtorch, to the statue. It’s a complicated step, because care must be taken not to melt the tin solder joints that hold the plates together!
Once their restoration was complete in June 2021, the sixteen statues were first moved to the Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine, where they stay on display until April 2025.
The reinstallation of the statues (2025)
In the spring of 2025, as part of the completion of the roofing work on the new spire, the statues will return permanently to Notre-Dame. From April through June, they will be prepared at the construction site’s base camp for reinstallation on the spire.
Between June 23 and July 24, one by one, they will take their permanent places at the base of the spire after being blessed by the Archbishop of Paris. The statue of Saint Paul was the first to be hoisted into place. Finally, on July 24, the statue of Saint Thomas—patron saint of architects, depicted here in the likeness of Viollet-le-Duc—was the last to be installed. Depicted in this way on the only statue facing the spire, its creator can admire it every day.
With this final gesture, the restoration of the spire was completed. As the scaffolding was dismantled at the end of the summer of 2025, the spire and its 16 statues were finally revealed against the Paris sky.
David Bordes © Rebâtir Notre-Dame de Paris
