#italian renaissance sculpture
FLORENTINE CIVIC SCULPTURE II: GHIBERTI’S BAPTISTRY BRONZE DOORS
Although the Florentine duomo and baptistry form the religious center of the city, the two buildings were sustained by the civic patronage of the two richest guilds, the Arte di Calimala and the Arte della Lana. The Arte di Calimala assertively competed with their rival guild by focusing their patronage on the east portal of the baptistry, which directly faces the duomo. No less than three sets of monumental bronze doors were commissioned and installed in that location between 1336 and 1452 (in contrast to the duomo, which lacked a façade until the 19th century). Both the Calimala and Lana guilds commissioned Ghiberti to create the bronze statues of their patron saints for Orsanmichele.
The 10 reliefs of the final set of baptistry doors, designed by Lorenzo Ghiberti and later referred to as the “gates of paradise” by Michelangelo, are hybrid masterpieces of pictorial and sculptural representation.
1329: Andrea Pisano is awarded commission for east bronze doors depicting New Twstament scenes for Baptistry of San Giovanni.
1336: Pisano doors completed and installed in east portal.
1401: Based on relief depicting the Sacrifice of Isaac, Lorenzo Ghiberti, a member of father Bartolo di Michele’s workshop, is chosen over Filippo Brunelleschi in competition for new set of east bronze doors for baptistry.
1403: Commission for 28 panels for new east door, depicting New Testament scenes, officially awarded to Bartolo di Michele’s workshop.
1407: Commission transferred legally to Ghiberti’s workshop.
1424: New east doors for baptistry completed.
1425: New east doors by Ghiberti worshop installed in east portal; Pisano doors relocated to south portal; Ghiberti awarded commission for another set of “new” east bronze doors, depicting 10 Old Testament scenes.
1437: 10 panels depicting Old Testament scenes cast.
1452: New east doors consisting of 10 Old Testment relief panels completed by Ghiberti workshop and installed in the east portal.
1453: Ghiberti and son Vittorino receive commission for new door case with relief frames for Pisano doors.
1455: Death of Lorenzo Ghiberti.
1463: New case for Pisano doors, including inscription recording Pisano as sculptor and original date of completion, finished by Vittorino and installed.
FLORENTINE CIVIC SCULPTURE I: THE EXTERIOR SCULPTURES OF ORSANMICHELE
For the first quarter of the 15th century, the guild church of Orsanmichele was a constantly evolving display space for Florentine sculpture, with innovative figures by major sculptors appearing on the exterior every 1-3 years. Some of the most important developments in Renaissance sculpture occurred at Orsanmichele, including the use of linear perspective in relief sculpture and the recovery of the ancient techniques of monumental bronze casting.
1337: Loggia constructed in the Florentine grain market at Orsanmichele.
1348: Orsanmichele converted to a chapel for major guilds of Florence. Upper level converted to municipal granary.
1359: Loggia enclosed.
1380-1404: City’s 14 major guilds required to supply full-sized, free-standing bronze or marble statue of its patron saint for placement in a niche on the exterior of the ground floor. Cost of bronze figure approximately 10 times more than marble figure.
1399: Giovanni di Piero Tedesco, Madonna of the Rose (marble), Arte del Medici e Speziali, installed.
1406: With only 3 of 14 statues installed, city ordinance requires all guild statues installed by 1416.
1408: Nanni di Banco, Quattro Santi Coronati (marble), Maestri di Pietra e Legname, installed.
1411: Donatello, St Mark (marble), Arte dei Linaiuoli e Rigattieri, installed.
1411-1415: Nanni di Banco, St Eligius (marble), Arte dei Maniscalchi, installed.
1412-1414: Nanni di Banco, St Philip (marble), Arte dei Calzaiuoli, installed.
1412-1416: Lorenzo Ghiberti, St John the Baptist (bronze), Arte di Calimana, installed.
1412-1415: Niccolò di Piero Lamberti, St James the Major (marble), Arte dei Conciatori e Pellicciai, installed.
1415: Filippo Brunelleschi, St Peter (marble), Arte dei Becchai, installed.
1416: Donatello, St George (marble), Arte dei Corazzai, installed.
1419-1420: Lorenzo Ghiberti, St Matthew (bronze), Arte del Cambio, installed.
1423-1425: Donatello, St Louis of Toulouse (bronze), Parte Guelfa, installed. Later replaced by Verrochio group.
1428: Lorenzo Ghiberti, St Stephen (bronze), Arte della Lana, installed.
1467-1483: Andrea del Verrocchio, Christ and St Thomas (bronze), Tribunale di Mercanzia, installed.
