Notre-Dame of Amiens: Life of the Gothic Cathedral by Stephen Murray (review)

In celebration of Amiens Cathedral's 800th anniversary, Stephen Murray's Notre-Dame of Amiens: Life of the Gothic Cathedral tells the story of the "life" of the cathedral, a magnificent structure in France renowned for its impressive height and transformative spaces. Murray narrates the events leading up to the cathedral's construction, examines the construction itself from 1220 to circa 1530, and considers the presence of the cathedral today. The book invites readers to ponder the lives of the individuals who worshipped in and worked on the edifice during the Middle Ages. The roles of these clergymen, artisans, and laypeople are suggested through medieval furnishings, stained-glass windows, liturgical and financial documents, as well as the forms of the cathedral itself. Virtual experiences of Amiens Cathedral in its current state, including recreations of medieval choral performances, are available on the book's accompanying website, www.learn.columbia.edu/amiens; panoramic tours, plentiful images, and informative videos offer an interactive experience from the comfort of one's home.

The book contains six chapters, the first of which explores the circumstances that led to the construction of the cathedral. Beginning with the establishment of Christianity in Roman Amiens (the city was known then as Samarobriva), Murray recounts stories of the local saint, Firmin the Martyr, who became patron of the city, before exploring the medieval transformations that made Amiens suitable for a large Gothic cathedral, such as demographic recovery and the formation of the commune. Inspired by the written tours of Amiens Cathedral by John Ruskin and Jean Pagès, Murray then assumes the role of interlocuter, guiding readers around the exterior and through the interior of the edifice as it stands today. He focuses on specific details of form, design, and articulation; incorporates relevant information about the building campaigns; and explains how the medieval worshipper both perceived and used the various spaces. Murray encourages readers to note differences between tracery forms, column types, and vault designs, offering an interactive and instructive overview of the cathedral.

The second chapter focuses on the sculptural programs of the cathedral's west facade portals and transept portals, which were most likely devised by a committee led by the founding dean, Jean d'Abbeville, who studied theology in Paris. To analyze the complex programs of the portals, Murray applies the quadriga, a four-part medieval methodology used to interpret the scriptures and with which the dean was likely familiar. Thus, the author places his readers in the shoes of the medieval Christian by providing the historical, allegorical, moralizing, and anagogical or uplifting readings that seek to recreate how a medieval pilgrim might have interpreted the sculptures and understood God's plan for humanity.

The next chapter considers the makers and users who animated Amiens Cathedral in the Middle Ages, as well as their suggested presence in the building today. Clergymen are embodied (physically) in tomb effigies throughout the structure, and brought to mind by the late Gothic choir screen, which has been polished across centuries by the hands and robes of the canons. Murray consults a fabric account from 1357 to 1358 to understand how the fabric committee, a group of clergymen who supervised the construction and finances of the cathedral, accrued revenue through contributions from the clergy and laypeople. Artisans are represented through the forms of the cathedral, such as stonework, original sculptures, and stained-glass windows. Laypeople are highlighted through their patronage: wealthy groups and individuals commissioned the stained-glass windows and chapels, and the confraternity of Notre-Dame du Puy commissioned paintings in honor of the Virgin Mary, some of which survive today. Pilgrims are represented through the cathedral's possession of relics, such as the chin of St. James and the head of St. John the Baptist.

The following chapters map out the building campaigns of the Gothic cathedral. Numerous instructive diagrams allow readers to visualize the building process and understand the relative sequence of building. Chapter 4 focuses on the...