Sées, Cathédrale Notre-Dame

The nave makes multiple references to the upper parts of the nave and the choir of Bayeux Cathedral and to the choir of Le Mans Cathedral: Grant suggests that the Sées nave master had worked at Bayeux. Links may also be established between Sées and Rouen. Art historians have generally hailed the Sées nave as a masterpiece. The choir, with its delicate, mannered forms, is also a remarkable tour de force. It refers to Parisian rayonnant prototypes and to the church of S-Urbain in Troyes. The contemporary choir of Evreux Cathedral provides a parallel. Restorations The western frontispiece was consolidated in the fifteenth century with the construction of a flying buttress between the central and north portals -- work consolidated under Bishop Jaques de Silly with an enormous buttress, supplemented with another one against the south side in 1560. The culées of the choir flying buttresses were also thickened and the north transept rose redone. In the 18th century architect Joseph Brousseau consolidated the north flank of the nave and replaced the stone gables over the transept roses. In the 19th century Alavoine clad the north side of the western frontispiece using iron for colonnettes and pinnacles. His successor Delarue rebuilt SW tower to match the north one creating symmetry that had not existed. Architect Dedraux reworked S flank of the nave but was dismissed in 1850. Major restoration work was done by Victor Ruprich-Robert who was convinced that the foundations were inadequate and proceeded to rework en sous-oeuvre. 1856 south transept finished; 1869 north side. The choir was entirely demolished and rebuilt and axial chapel was extended by one bay.