Stone, color and restoration

The polychrome portal of Angers Cathedral (12th-21st century). Contribution to the study of medieval portals in France and Europe

Fillon-Braguet Benedicte (dir.), Le Luel Nathalie (dir.), Mathurin Clémentine (dir.), Le Bourhis Marc (preface)

Designed in the middle of the 12th century and a reference of early Gothic art, the portal of the Saint-Maurice Cathedral in Angers has sculpted and painted decoration which bears witness to the strong influence of the Royal Portal of Chartres.

In 2009, the cleaning of the portal confirmed the importance of the remains of polychromy of the portal made illegible by dirt and pollution. From 2009 to 2019, studies and then a restoration provided a lot of new data allowing a better understanding of the original decoration campaign and the general repainting of the 17th century.

Crossing the gazes on an exceptional testimony of the polychromy of cathedrals in France, this reference work offers a review of knowledge, but above all a renewed study of the western portal of the Saint-Maurice Cathedral of Angers. It constitutes a milestone in the study of French and European sculpted and polychromed portals. It ends with the presentation of the contemporary gallery created by the architect Kengo Kuma to protect the portal. In doing so, it opens onto the 21st century.