FAM To Unveil Full-scale Replica of Notre-Dame Truss on June 24
COOPERSTOWN—Fenimore Art Museum announced on Monday, June 16 that, next week, it will present a remarkable cultural and educational installation: a full-scale replica of Truss No. 6 from the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. The ceremonial “raising” of the truss will take place on the afternoon of Tuesday, June 24, officials said, and the truss will remain on public view on the museum’s back lawn through September 8.
This installation is part of the Handshouse Studio: Notre-Dame Project, created in the wake of the 2019 fire that destroyed the roof of Notre-Dame de Paris. In a gesture of global solidarity, Massachusetts-based Handshouse Studio launched the initiative to reconstruct one of the cathedral’s medieval trusses using traditional methods.
With access to the hand-drawn survey of Notre-Dame’s timber roof structure by Rémi Fromont, France’s chief architect of historic monuments, Handshouse brought together historians, traditional carpenters, students and preservationists to authentically reconstruct Choir Truss No. 6. The truss has since been exhibited at significant sites across the United States, including the National Mall in Washington, D.C. and the Millennium Gate Museum in Atlanta, Georgia, officials said.
The replica truss on display at FAM was built using historically accurate tools and methods by a collaborative team that included Central New York native Jackson DuBois, executive director of the Timber Framers Guild, and Michael Burrey, a renowned preservation carpenter and instructor at North Bennet Street School in Boston. Both artisans were later invited to France to contribute to the official reconstruction of the Notre-Dame spire, joining the French team at Asselin Inc.
“It has been an incredible honor to be able to take part in this amazing endeavor,” DuBois said. “The rebuilding of Notre-Dame de Paris is not only a physical restoration but also a symbol of resilience, cultural preservation and collective efforts to save an iconic landmark. Representing the timber framing community in this work has been an absolute privilege and has come with a deep sense of pride.”
“We are honored to display this magnificent example of craftsmanship and cultural exchange,” said FAM President and Chief Executive Officer Paul S. D’Ambrosio. “It brings to life a historic architectural tradition while reminding us of our shared global heritage.”
The Handshouse full-scale truss installation, along with a 1:10 scale model of the medieval roof structure of Notre-Dame, is on exhibition at the museum thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Fernleigh Foundation and Nellie and Robert Gipson.
For more details about the “raising” of the truss on June 24 and other events and programs available at the FAM, visit FenimoreArt.org.
