When do you choose to restore something or let it be?
This question might be asked of a painting, a sculpture, a chair, a house, but then to stretch it a bit farther… how about an idea, a career, a friendship, a project. Restore or let it be?
This was a question France faced over the deterioration of Norte Dame Cathedral in the early 20th century as a pitched controversy flared over whether it should be restored or not.
At the time, Auguste Rodin’s position was a cathedral is essentially a living creation and by restoring elements of the Notre Dame Cathedral they would be debasing its very essence.
As Rachel Corbett writes, “Rodin argues that it was far better to allow cathedrals to deteriorate naturally than for them to be mutilated by restorers ignorant of the ‘secret’ of Gothic design, which he describes as the harmony of opposing planes; the delicate distribution of light glancing across reliets, carved neither too deep nor shallow; the dance of chiaroscuro as the sun highlights and darkens figures throughout the day.”
Rodin believed restorations were “copies” and were therefore to be “condemned.” In his opinion the original act of creation, best inspired by nature, could never be replicated or restored. In other words, let that which was inspired by nature be allowed to take its natural course.
Which made me reflect how there may be aspects of our lives towards which it might be worth applying Rodin’s principle. To let them be rather than to restore.
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