The Gargoyles of Notre-Dame: Medievalism and the Monsters of Modernity

by Michael Camille

Most of the seven million people who visit the cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris each year probably do not realize that the legendary gargoyles adorning this medieval masterpiece were not constructed until the nineteenth century. The first comprehensive history of these world-famous monsters, The Gargoyles of Notre-Dame argues that they transformed the iconic thirteenth-century cathedral into a modern monument.Michael Camille begins his long-awaited study by recounting architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc’s ambitious restoration of the structure from 1843 to 1864, when the gargoyles were designed, sculpted by the little-known Victor Pyanet, and installed. These gargoyles, Camille contends, were not mere avatars of the Middle Ages, but rather fresh creations—symbolizing an imagined past—whose modernity lay precisely in their nostalgia. He goes on to map the critical reception and many-layered afterlives of these chimeras, notably in the works of such artists and writers as Charles Méryon, Victor Hugo, and photographer Henri Le Secq. Tracing their eventual evolution into icons of high kitsch, Camille ultimately locates the gargoyles’ place in the twentieth-century imagination, exploring interpretations by everyone from Winslow Homer to the Walt Disney Company.Lavishly illustrated with more than three hundred images of its monumental yet whimsical subjects, The Gargoyles of Notre-Dame is a must-read for historians of art and architecture and anyone whose imagination has been sparked by the lovable monsters gazing out over Paris from one of the world’s most renowned vantage points.

Genres: History, France, Medieval, Art, Nonfiction, Architecture, Art History

432 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Bettie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bettie's Books

[Gigi · Rating 5 out of 5]

An academic book that's also a page-turner. Historian Camille writes of the history of the cathedral and its famous gargoyles with so many intriguing details that the mysteries of the past are brought to life.

[Alina Stepan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Une merveille! Pas parce que l'auteur n'est plus parmi nous. Pas non plus parce que 'l'action' du livre se passe a Paris. Paus du tout.
Ce livre est magnifique parce qu'il passe les gargouilles par tous les angles de l'analyse: moeurs, nouveau media, litterature, dessein, politique, prejuge rasiste, sociologie, crimonologie, medicine.... Les gargouilles de Notre Dame comme mirroir d'une monde. De plusieurs, en fait...

[Ess Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Camille left us with a really thoughtful, well written exploration of the medievalism of notre dame and her more famous inhabitants - the gargoyles. He explores the intersection between public perception of the gargoyles and the physical and social changes in the city. Truly a magnificent read and filled with wonderful photos and graphics.

[Alis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Look no further for a comprehensive history on 19th-21st century medievalism than the Gargoyles of Notre Dame in Paris.

[Benji · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as many French people would probably not want to admit that the pensive demon was an emblem of racism, they would probably be even more horrified to think of an American multinational media giant like Disney having infected the greatest monument of medieval French culture with cuteness!

Viollet-le-Duc was influenced by the great cartoonists of his day - Grandville and Daumier - so why should these new restorations not also critique the monstrosities of our current globalized mass culture?

During the Middle Ages, cathedrals were not the empty spaces of contemplation we alienated moderns like to imagine, but vital and crowded spaces rather akin to the modern shopping mall, so today's crush of visitors is probably closer to the medieval experience.

[Jenntleh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating blend of paranormal fantasy and historical fiction. The lore of gargoyles tied to noble bloodlines adds a fresh twist, while the story explores class inequality and revolution during the Enlightenment. Both Henry, a peasant bonded with a gargoyle, and Catia, a noble seeking justice after her father's death, offer compelling perspectives on equality and reform. Thoughtful, imaginative, and engaging.