France (Paris)

Floral Motifs and Architectural Details from the Gallery of Kings at Notre-Dame de Paris

2919

Date: The original sculptures of the Gallery of Kings were executed primarily between 1220 and 1240 CE, during the High Gothic period. (Note: Many of the statues seen today are 19th-century neo-Gothic reconstructions carved by Jean-Baptiste Lassus and Eugène Viollet-le-Duc during their major restoration). Period: High Gothic architectural sculpture (13th century).

Architectural Role: Functions as a continuous horizontal frieze that visually unifies the western facade, bridging the lower portal level with the upper rose window zone while establishing a rhythmic architectural cadence across the massive stone surface. Symbolic, Cultural, and Religious Purpose: Conceived to visually link the genealogy of Christ with the earthly and heavenly legitimacy of the French Capetian monarchy, asserting the divine right of kings through sacred Old Testament typology.