Monday, April 15, 2019

Notre Dame on Fire

The Notre Dame cathedral, dating all the way back to the Middle Ages, was caught in a terrible fire today.






It's believed to have been an accident involving the reconstruction (due to how old the building is, some renovations are necessary to keep it together), though they haven't fully ruled out arson. That didn't stop some people from pointing the finger at terrorists, or making crude jokes about religion.

Thankfully, the firefighters were able to salvage most of the building and its relics (they just barely saved the bell tower, which would have been disastrous due to those enormous bells), and nobody was hurt. Even the firefighters made it out in one piece, as far as I can tell. That's what matters more than anything.

Of course, that's not to say the damage to the building isn't appalling. The main spire and most of the roof are gone, and some of the centuries-old art and relics weren't exactly portable.

 



And the absence of bodily injury doesn't undermine the emotional injury at all. This is a huge blow to everyone: the French, the Catholics, the artists, the architects, the historians. There's something about Notre Dame for everyone to love and respect, and it's just such a big piece of our history. It's France's crown jewel.

I've dubbed this disaster "the nightmare of a million artists come true." I'm already gutted when I lose a few drawings or stories I haven't quite backed up; I can't imagine a loss the size of Notre Dame.

Still, all things considered, the outcome was nothing short of a miracle. While it's awful that this had to happen in the first place, it could have been a million times worse.

I was introduced to Notre Dame through Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, one of my all-time favorite movies. So yes, I watched a few clips today, particularly "Out There" and "God Help the Outcasts," since that's where you get a real eyeful of the cathedral; the animation is nothing short of exquisite.





































I also felt the need to draw some kind of tribute. I may or may not color it later; I just wanted to make something.


Images © Their respective owners

Screencaps courtesy of Animation Screencaps

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