1. Early Renaissance in 15th c. Italy
• Intellectuals in 15th c. Italy thought of
themselves as living in a NEW AGE.
• Believed they could improve their
culture by reviving the best features of
antiquity…Greek and Roman culture.
• Rebirth of classical learning, literature
and art.

2. Causes:
• Study of texts from Greece and Rome for
moral content and style (medieval
university—prized theology) but
Renaissance humanism aimed for
practical use—for lawyers, bureaucrats,
politicians, diplomats and merchants
• Humanists’ analytical approach and
empirical observations inspired new
thinking in many fields

3. Political power/artistic patronage
• Florence Medici
• Urbino Montefeltro
• Mantua Gonzaga
• Milan Sforza and Visconti
• Ferrara Este

4. 15th c. Republic of Florence (ala Roman Republic)
• Signoria—governing council—officials
elected from members of the guilds and
mercantile families.
• Milan threatened to invade in
1401…Florence was able to defy Milan…a
comparison was made between Athens
defeat of the Persians…praised for piety
and devotion…Renaissance humanists
wished to reconcile the lessons of antiquity
with their Christian faith.

5. The Cathedral of Florence was begun in 1298. Santa Maria del Fiore
(our Lady of the Flower, the lily was a symbol of Florence) was the
third cathedral built on the site. A hundred years later, the cathedral was still
unfinished. The plan had space for a dome the size of the Pantheon's, and no one
in Italy had any idea how to actually build it.
Across the piazza from the Cathedral was the baptistery. It was decided that the
baptistery needed new doors.
The city fathers of Florence held a competition to solicit plans for the dome's
completion and for door designs in bronze.

6. Across the piazza from
the Cathedral's facade
was the baptistery. (the
white octagonal roof)
Every child born in
Florence (heathens
excepted) was baptized
into the Church there. It
was decided that the
baptistery needed new
doors.
Florence Baptistery Competition

7. Guild-sponsored competition in 1401 for the east
doors of the city’s baptistery.

9. Ghiberti. Sacrifice of Isaac
1401Bronze relief
competition panel for east
doors, baptistery of Florence
Cathedral 1401-02

10. Brunelleschi. Sacrifice of Isaac.
Competition panel for east doors,
baptistery of Florence.

11. Andrea Pisano, south
doors, Florence Baptistry,
1350-36, bronze

12. detail

13. Pisano (top) Ghiberti

14. These gilded bronze
doors consist of
twenty-eight panels,
with twenty panels
depicting the life of
Christ from the New
Testament.

15. The Annunciation

16. The Annunciation
Ghiberti's Annunciation scene
is related to a number of Late
Gothic Annunciation in
Florentine art, particularly
those by Lorenzo Monaco. In
these, Gabriel flies into the
scene - a visionary angel with
clouds streaming from his feet,
his wings beating, still airborne
at the command of God the
Father, who sends down the
dove of the Holy Spirit.

17. The Glagellation panel (flagellation panel)

18. Flagellation 1403-24
Lorenzo Ghiberti
Technique developed over
20yrs
Figures burst from frame
- sweeping arm
Development of
classical, muscled torso
Compare to earlier
annunciation - scene
framed distinctively

20. Christ among the Doctors panel

21. Finding of Christ in the Temple, north door, c.1416
Mary say to her 12 yr. old son, missing for 3 days,
“Why have you treated us like this?”

22. North door and Gates
of Paradise door self-portraits