Nouvelle Vitraux de Notre-Dame Exposés au Grand Palais

At the Grand Palais in Paris, an exceptional exhibition invites attendees to immerse themselves in the creation of history. *D’un seul souffle (In a Single Breath)* displays the monumental preparatory works behind French artist Claire Tabouret’s new stained-glass windows for Notre-Dame de Paris, providing an unparalleled insight into a contemporary endeavor that is still actively developing.

Taking place inside Galerie 10.2, the exhibition features monumental, 7-meter-tall (nearly 30-foot-tall) paper maquettes that will ultimately be transformed into stained glass for the six chapels along the south aisle of Notre-Dame’s nave. Tabouret was chosen in late 2024, in partnership with the esteemed Atelier Simon-Marq, to create the new windows as part of the cathedral’s post-fire restoration. Instead of revealing completed pieces, *D’un seul souffle* emphasizes the process. Here, visitors will observe the scale, craftsmanship, and experimentation inherent in the work before it is permanently affixed in stone and glass.

The exhibition’s title invokes breath as both a physical and symbolic entity. It resonates with the biblical theme of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit, selected for the windows, as well as the very act of breathing: the wind, the voice, and the human essence that breathes life into both painting and glass. This concept subtly influences the experience of the exhibition, where movement, repetition, and rhythm take the place of conventional religious iconography.

To develop the designs, Tabouret engaged in monotype printing, a method she has honed over the years. Using ink on transparent plexiglass, she paints images in reverse before transferring them onto heavy paper with a press. Each window consists of numerous individual printed segments, including figures, landscapes, and abstract elements, which are combined into imposing, collage-like formations. The outcome is a creation that feels both precise and fluid, structured yet visibly handmade.

Color is essential in these pieces. In alignment with the architectural and spiritual constraints of Notre-Dame, Tabouret crafted a palette that is vibrant but meticulously balanced, ensuring the light remains bright and diffused rather than overwhelmed by a single tone. The compositions evoke the movement of wind, fire, and collective bodies. These visual symbols of unity and change are subtly echoed in the cathedral’s 19th-century stained glass.

Within the Grand Palais, visitors navigate among the towering paper creations as if entering the realm where decisions are still being formed. Sketches, stencils, notes, and tools from the Atelier Simon-Marq further underline that this is a dynamic process, one influenced by the collaboration of contemporary artistry and time-honored craftsmanship.

By showcasing this intermediate phase, *D’un seul souffle* reshapes the experience of monumental public art. It emphasizes the fragility and experimentation that precedes permanence, allowing viewers to engage with a historic commission on a more intimate level. Long before light passes through glass within Notre-Dame, it first travels through paper, ink, and the artist’s hand.

**Exhibition Information:**
Claire Tabouret
*D’un seul souffle (In a Single Breath)*
December 10, 2025–March 15, 2026
Grand Palais, Galerie 10.2
Paris, France

**Grand Palais:** [Website](https://www.grandpalais.fr/en) | [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/le_grand_palais/?hl=fr)

*My Modern Met was granted permission to feature photos by the Grand Palais.*

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