Restoration work uncovers more carved doors in Florence

FLORENCE, ITALY – The  bronze doors of the Florence Baptistery, dubbed the “Gates of Paradise” by master Michelangelo, have equally ornate mates now being restored. Experts said that similar doors have been discovered in the Baptistery of the Florence Cathedral, matching the bronze doors forged by Renaissance artist Lorenzo Ghiberti in the early 1400s. During restoration work on the ancient Baptistery, curators say they have discovered other doors with 28 panels featuring scenes from the New Testament.

Two panels have been cleaned to reveal carvings of the baptism and temptations of Christ, depicted with ornate friezes and decorated with gold plating and semi-precious stones. The remaining 26 panels are still being cleaned but are revealing the evangelists and doctors of the Church, heads of prophets and sibyls and even a self-portrait of Ghiberti wearing a turban.

Ghiberti was now widely recognized as a celebrity and the top artist in this field. He was showered with commissions, even from the pope. In 1425 he got a second commission, this time for the east doors of the baptistry, on which he and his workshop toiled for 27 years, excelling themselves. These had ten panels depicting scenes from the Old Testament, and were in turn installed on the east side. The panels are large rectangles and are no longer embedded in the traditional Gothic quatrefoil, as in the previous doors.

Ghiberti employed the recently discovered principles of perspective to give depth to his compositions. Each panel depicts more than one episode. In “The Story of Joseph” is portrayed the narrative scheme of Joseph Cast by His Brethren into the Well, Joseph Sold to the Merchants, The merchants delivering Joseph to the pharaoh, Joseph Interpreting the Pharaoh’s dream, The Pharaoh Paying him Honour, Jacob Sends His Sons to Egypt and Joseph Recognizes His Brothers and Returns Home.