Scientific methods can tell us about the colorful pigments that once brought the sculptures of Notre Dame to life, but they cannot tell us what these colors meant to the people living in medieval Paris. Humanities research can. This is why we are studying references to color found in the liturgical music used at Notre Dame. We are also studying the aesthetics of color in other media, such as manuscripts and stained glass. Together, the arts, humanities, and sciences can help us to envision the multi-chromatic environment of the Cathedral of Paris.
Detail of the Magnus Liber Organi, c. 1250.