1. Italian Renaissance Sculpture
15th Century

2. Key Commissions Exterior decoration of Church of Orsanmichele
Bronze doors for the Florence Cathedral Bapistry

3. Orsanmichele Municipal granary Shrine for local guilds
12 surrounding niches
Each guild got one niche to depict their patron saint or saints.

5. Nanni di Banco
Commissioned to sculpt 3 of the 12 niches for Orsanmichele.
Belonged to the stone carvers’ and woodworkers guild.

6. These martyrs were Christian sculptures in the 3rd century
Four Crowned Martyrs,
Marble, Orsanmichele
These martyrs were Christian sculptures in the 3rd century
Refused to sculpt an image of a Roman god.
Solid, heavy-set figures with a Roman inspired appearance (toga)
Stylized hair and beards
Feet and drapery protrude off the niche conveying a sense of realism
Predella on the bottom depicts the martyr sculptures working.
Sculpted in HIGH RELIEF, or deeply undercut

8. Lorenzo Ghiberti
Won 1402 competition against Filippo Brunelleschi to design the doors for the north side of the Baptistry of San Giovanni in Florence.

9. Lorenzo Ghiberti
Did such a great job, in 1425 he received a commission for the east doors. (Gates of Paradise)

10. Gates of Paradise united
Ten panels are unified by overall gilding
Perspective leading the eye back to the distance (either linear or intuitive)
Grouped figures are in the foreground
What else?

12. The Creation, Temptation, and Expulsion of Adam and Eve
Low relief, gilding

14. Jacob and Esau, panel from the Gates of Paradise, 1435
Center panel of left door
1 point perspective
Continuous narrative, Rebecca being warned by God upper right, bottom left Rebecca gives birth to twins (Esau and Jacob), foreground Jacob receives Isaac’s blessing.

15. Take two minutes - pick 3 Something I remembered from today was….
Something I found interesting today was….
Something I was reminded of was…..
Something I have a question on is….
Something I want to learn more about is….
Something I liked from today was….

16. Lorenzo Ghiberti
“I strove to imitate nature as clearly as I could, and with all the perspective I could produce, to have excellent compositions with many figures.”
- Lorenzo Ghiberti