Virgin of Paris

In 1855, during the restoration campaign of Viollet-le-Duc, it was installed in its current location at the south-east pillar of the transept, a historically meaningful site since an altar to the Virgin stood at the same place at the end of the 12th century.

The globe her son holds also alludes to their royalty and holiness, as a reference to Christ as Salvator Mundi (“Saviour of the World”).

The sculptor of Mary exaggerated the S-curve of her body, a signature element of Gothic style, particularly in beautiful Madonnas.

In the 4th century BCE, Greek sculptors were enthralled by the body’s movements and muscles, and tried to capture complete naturalism through the S- curve.

[6] By the beginning of the fourteenth century and the start of the Late Gothic style, sculptures began to lack in volume.