Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Coutances

Fred’s Journey


Coutances France

“The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Coustances was the first great Gothic church we saw in our army advance. It was famous for the ‘dim religious light’ of its sparkling windows. Blasting bombs had shattered every one, and the interior was bright under the August sun. This made the architectural excellence more plainly seen since it was first built 700 years ago.”

Artist’s Statement

    From

  • Irmigard Steding

I wanted to illustrate Fred’s description with a mystic and poetic vision of hope. I used a photograph of Coutances Cathedral and the color purple as a symbol of Truth. In their naked reality, the shards Fred collected remain lit by the true light.

Artist Information

Specifications

Number of shards: 13
Dimensions: 12″ × 24″
Medium: painted, sandblasted and leaded blown glass