[3a] Protecting the sculptures by removing them to the Museum For the most part, the Cathedral‘s sculptures are disposed on its facades, where they are exposed to view, but also to the onslaught of the elements. Time, frost, rain, and pollution have led to...
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[3a] Protecting the sculptures by removing them to the Museum For the most part, the Cathedral‘s sculptures are disposed on its facades, where they are exposed to view, but also to the onslaught of the elements. Time, frost, rain, and pollution have led to their gradual deterioration: the stone cracks, crumbles and becomes covered with a black crust. To preserve these works, restoration work has become necessary, such as replacing certain elements or using stone grafts. At various times, a uniform black patina has also been applied in order to protect surfaces and harmonize colours between the original stones and restorations. At the beginning of the 20th century, some of the large sculptures, and certain imposing architectural features such as the large gable of the main portal, greatly exposed to the elements, were removed and replaced with copies made by Œuvre Notre-Dame sculptors. The Foundation has thus preserved in its lapidary collection 1,800 archi- tectural features and sculpt
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