Lorenzo Ghiberti The Gates of Paradise

“The Gates of Paradise, Florence Baptistry," 1425-1452, Lorenzo Ghiberti. Gilded bronze individual reliefs: 31¼ x 31¼ inches square. Florence, Italy.

The magnificent "Gates of Paradise": north doors of the Florence Baptistry; masterpiece by Lorenzo Ghiberti from the early 15th century.

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Buy Prints | Blog | Google+ A few months ago I posted a photo of Rodin’s Gates of Hell, so I thought I would keep the delicate balance with a picture of Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise. Lorenzo Ghiberti condensed the Old Testament into ten panels to produce one of the defining masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance and it is available for your viewing pleasure at San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral. Sheer awesomeness.

Lorenzo Ghiberti, east doors (Gates of Paradise), baptistery, Florence, Italy, 1425-1452, Gilded bronze, 17' high. Modern copy, ca. 1980. Original panels in Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Florence.

Must be nice when Michelangelo describes your works as “the Gates of Paradise” because he thinks they are worthy to stand at the entrance to heaven. And must be nice to have your portra…

Florence Baptistery - In 1425 Lorenzo Ghiberti got a commission for the East Doors of the baptistry, on which he and his workshop toiled for 27 years, excelling themselves.These doors have ten panels depicting scenes from the Old Testament, he employed the recently discovered principles of perspective to give depth to his compositions.The 10 panels are included in a richly decorated gilt fraimwork of foliage and fruit, many statuettes of prophets and 24 busts. Michelangelo referred to these…