Note Dame cathedral on fire

Started by Fenton, 15 April 2019, 07:24:14 PM

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Orcs

Hopefully they will have pictures of the glass, so that can replicate it.

At least there was no loss of life.
The cynics are right nine times out of ten. -Mencken, H. L.

Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but of playing a poor hand well. - Robert Louis Stevenson

FierceKitty

We have materials, wealth, and techniques beyond the dreams of the original builders. Curious how we seem unable to build anything remotely as beautiful.
I don't drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee.

steve_holmes_11

Quote from: Orcs on 16 April 2019, 09:07:22 AM
Hopefully they will have pictures of the glass, so that can replicate it.

At least there was no loss of life.

That should be our greatest concern.

When his stables were burnt down, on returning from court, Confucius said, "Was anyone hurt?" He did not ask about the horses.

FierceKitty

Can't agree. I value life, but it's temporary. A great work of art should go on giving pleasure for many centuries longer.

I know there will be disagreement. You may assume that at my age I've heard it all.
I don't drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee.

Ithoriel

It's a pile of rocks.

Very glad there were no fatalities and I hope the injured firefighter makes a full recovery.
There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

Sunray

Quote from: Techno on 16 April 2019, 08:14:17 AM
Very sad. :(

Totally agree, Nobby. X_X
I guess we won't know the full extent until we see some aerial shots, and they show film of the interior.

Cheers - Phil.

steve_holmes_11

Quote from: FierceKitty on 16 April 2019, 01:02:12 PM
Can't agree. I value life, but it's temporary. A great work of art should go on giving pleasure for many centuries longer.

I know there will be disagreement. You may assume that at my age I've heard it all.

It's a question of culture.
The culture that built and maintained the great Cathedrals (or Castles or Chateaux) is gone.
It's clear that our curent culture values these buildings as art and historic record.
I'm very impressed by the French determination (with words and wallets) to rebuild.

On a smaller scale there are echoes of Glasgow's Art School and the Cutty Sark.
It's easy to assume an apathetic "I'm alright Jack" population.
Often in fora like these, based on ignorance of the buttons on a grenadier's tunic.
When crisis strikes, It's remarkable how people do care, and feel that the building / boat / atrifact actually counts for something.

Do we still have the skills to do the job?
There are certainly fewer cathedral craftsmen than during the mark 1 build, but we have better equipment.
Perhaps it will provoke a wave of apprenticeships in old building maintenance - like the handful who have passed through Paisley Abbey.
Perhaps this will inspire some automation of production for common components.
Some original materials will be unavailable (Notably massive seasoned timbers), but we have access to lighter, stronger and more durable alternatives (Maybe not all three at once).

Finally, thanks to modern habits, there will be a huge archive of digital photographs that can be assembled as a reference.
This will ensure that any restoration is as close as possible to the state of a few months back.

We managed to assemble London Bridge in Arizona over 4 decades ago.
This job shouldn't be beyond us now.


Dr Dave

You didn't get Tower Bridge though  ;D

It is certainly a great shame. Even my 16 yr old felt sad about it.


Duke Speedy of Leighton

You may refer to me as: Your Grace, Duke Speedy of Leighton.
2016 Pendraken Painting Competion Participation Prize  (Lucky Dip Catagory) Winner

Orcs

Quote from: Ithoriel on 16 April 2019, 03:07:31 PM
It's a pile of rocks.

Very glad there were no fatalities and I hope the injured firefighter makes a full recovery.

I am with Ithoriel on this one.  Even if they rebuild it it will not be a 12th century cathedral, it will be part 12th century. part 21st century, so it will no longer be a 12th century work of art.


The cynics are right nine times out of ten. -Mencken, H. L.

Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but of playing a poor hand well. - Robert Louis Stevenson

FierceKitty

St Vitus' cathedral in Prague (pause for someone to make the joke...thank you) took over a thousand years to build; it includes statues in jackets and ties. And it's a knockout.

"Pile of rocks" - true. But don't stop there. We ourselves are, in one of the few memorable lines from Star Trek, "ugly bags of mostly water".
I don't drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee.

Westmarcher

Quote from: FierceKitty on 17 April 2019, 12:24:32 AM
St Vitus' cathedral in Prague ..... includes statues in jackets and ties.
Steve (Holmes) mentioned Paisley Abbey above. This has an Alien gargoyle.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-23810979

Quote from: FierceKitty on 17 April 2019, 12:24:32 AM
"Pile of rocks" - true. But don't stop there. We ourselves are, in one of the few memorable lines from Star Trek, "ugly bags of mostly water".

Yes, but when we stop to consider what almost miraculous (and many would say definitely according to their various beliefs) biological 'machines' we are, our ability to reason and think, our limited ability to heal ourselves (and reproduce), and our good and our bad traits, we are the real Fantastic Beasts.
I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.

FierceKitty

I don't drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee.

John Cook

Quote from: Orcs on 16 April 2019, 10:01:51 PM
I am with Ithoriel on this one.  Even if they rebuild it it will not be a 12th century cathedral, it will be part 12th century. part 21st century, so it will no longer be a 12th century work of art.





It has been renovated and repaired many times over its 800 year history.  It has a bit of every century that it has existed in its fabric .