The Gates of Paradise

Michelangelo called Ghiberti's ten-panel bronze doors "the Gates of Paradise," but to me, Florence itself deserves this title.  It is a gateway to a treasure trove of Italian Renaissance art.  There is so much art and history here that it can be overwhelming.   Our pension was only a few blocks from the Duomo, so I was able to walk to the Baptistery every day and study the famous doors.  (And then I would go buy gelato!)

The Baptistery is a gorgeous building.  Its unique octagonal shape is meant to symbolize the 8th day--namely the day we all pass from death to eternity.  The resurrection of the dead is a paramount belief in the Christian faith.  It is across from the massive Duomo with its pink and green marble panels.  The church, the baptistry and the campanile all make up a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lorenzo Ghiberti (1378-1455) is known for his sculptures and metalworking,  His bronze doors are considered Italian Renaissance masterpieces.  He won the competition in 1401 for the North set of doors pictured above.  The 28 panels depict scenes of the New Testament.  It took him twenty years to finish, and when it was unveiled he was immediately commissioned to work on another set.  The second set took 24 years but the panels were unlike anything people had ever seen before.  The bronze had been polished until it shone like gold and the figures in the relief were full of emotion; the scenes full of drama.

The Catholic Church used these panels as a way of teaching the Bible to the people.  Ghiberti, however, brought humanism into the stories.  As an artist and philosopher, he was more interested in human emotions and history than the supernatural.  He studied the classics and was an avid collector of artifacts.

The above detail is about the story of Joshua.  Joshua is on a chariot behind the ark of the covenant.  At the top is the city of Jericho and the priests are blowing the trumpets.  The remaining panels depict Genesis, Cain and Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Moses and David and Solomon.  They are equally detailed and equally beautiful.

These photographs were taken in 1983.  As you can see, a panel was missing from the Old Testament set.  Today, if you go to Florence, you will see replicas at the Baptistery, not the originals like the ones above.  They have been restored and placed inside the Duomo for safekeeping.  I have mixed feelings about this.  They should be preserved and polished for future generations to enjoy, but what a thrill to see them like a 15th century Florentine!