French cathedrals.(Brief Article)

The long and distinguished history of cathedrals in France is the topic of an exhibition entitled 20 siecles en cathedrals (Twenty Centuries of Cathedrals) on view at the Palais du Tau in Reims, France, until November 4. It charts both the history and the role of these buildings. The curators Catherine Arminjon and Denis Lavalle have brought together some 250 works of art from fifty-five cathedrals from all corners of France that reveal aspects of their architecture and contents.

The first part of the exhibition explores the cathedral in the context of its city. It is sometimes forgotten today that when cathedrals were first built they dominated not only their cities but also the landscape for miles around. Other subjects are the founders and donors of cathedrals, including several saints, royalty, and the ...