February 2025
Jean-Michel Othoniel Reveals Permanent Installation at the Basilica of Saint-Sernin in Toulouse, France
Jean-Michel Othoniel’s stained-glass installation has been permanently placed in the Basilica of Saint-Sernin in Toulouse, France. Designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998, this medieval Romanesque basilica is the largest church along to the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain and holds the second-largest collection of relics after Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. The basilica’s exterior is characterized by the use of locally produced orange bricks from the Toulouse region, while its structural elements are built from stone. Although extensively restored in the 1860–70s, a later effort in the 1980s sought to return the basilica to its original state, shaping its present appearance.
Othoniel’s stained-glass installation, placed in the rose window above the main entrance on the west façade of the basilica, replaces what was previously a polycarbonate covering. Since the façade faces west, the setting sun would shine directly into the basilica, posing a risk of damage to the historic Cavaillé-Coll organ located beneath the window. In response, the basilica commissioned Othoniel to create a new rose window, which he completed in collaboration with the master glassmakers of Ateliers Loire in Chartres. Measuring 5.5 meters in diameter, the window features a palette of gold, sky blue, bright red, and soft pink—colors inspired by the 19th-century stained glass inside the basilica and classical paintings depicting the Christian subject of The Education of the Virgin.
Reminiscent of Othoniel’s glass sculptures, the design consists of organically arranged circles of varying sizes, creating a dynamic interplay between organic form, color palette, spatial atmosphere and the historical identity of the basilica. The composition seamlessly integrates with the basilica’s brick and stone interior, enhancing its architectural harmony.
Reflecting on the concept behind the work, Othoniel remarked that he envisioned a space that would be “visible both day and night, from inside and outside” the basilica. This is not the first time the artist has reimagined a historic site—he previously transformed the treasury of the medieval Saint-Pierre Cathedral in Angoulême, infusing it with contemporary artistic elements while respecting its historical identity. In both projects, Othoniel bridges past and present, offering a timeless and transcendent beauty.
[Source: Mairie de Toulouse official press release]
Othoniel’s stained-glass installation, placed in the rose window above the main entrance on the west façade of the basilica, replaces what was previously a polycarbonate covering. Since the façade faces west, the setting sun would shine directly into the basilica, posing a risk of damage to the historic Cavaillé-Coll organ located beneath the window. In response, the basilica commissioned Othoniel to create a new rose window, which he completed in collaboration with the master glassmakers of Ateliers Loire in Chartres. Measuring 5.5 meters in diameter, the window features a palette of gold, sky blue, bright red, and soft pink—colors inspired by the 19th-century stained glass inside the basilica and classical paintings depicting the Christian subject of The Education of the Virgin.
Reminiscent of Othoniel’s glass sculptures, the design consists of organically arranged circles of varying sizes, creating a dynamic interplay between organic form, color palette, spatial atmosphere and the historical identity of the basilica. The composition seamlessly integrates with the basilica’s brick and stone interior, enhancing its architectural harmony.
Reflecting on the concept behind the work, Othoniel remarked that he envisioned a space that would be “visible both day and night, from inside and outside” the basilica. This is not the first time the artist has reimagined a historic site—he previously transformed the treasury of the medieval Saint-Pierre Cathedral in Angoulême, infusing it with contemporary artistic elements while respecting its historical identity. In both projects, Othoniel bridges past and present, offering a timeless and transcendent beauty.
[Source: Mairie de Toulouse official press release]
