Lorenzo Ghiberti
By: Alex Tjie
Biography
Lorenzo Ghiberti was born on December 1st, 1378 in Pelago, Italy even though he spent most of his life in Florence, Italy. He was trained by his step father, Bartoluccio, and worked as a goldsmith and painter. His lifestyle consisted of making many sculptures and architectural features that defined the century. Works such as the Hall of Onofrio Strozzi, the door that lead into the Hall of Palazzo di Parte, and the sculpture of Saint John the Baptist gave Lorenzo the recognition he has today. The patron saint of Lorenzo was also known to be John the Baptist, the man Lorenzo sculpted in 1412.
Lorenzo Ghiberti's Sculpture: Saint John the Baptist
Lorenzo created this sculpture in 1412 for the merchant's guild in Florence, Italy. Today you can see this piece on the east face of the Orsanmichele building which is also in Florence. This piece was so widely known because Saint John was the patron of both Lorenzo and the merchant guild. It was created using a technique called international gothic style and was credited to be the first bronze sculpture since antiquity. I found this piece interesting because it showed a short of power that I couldn't comprehend. The realistic features also spoke out to me making me like the painting in some way. Also, the sculpture was of one person making it easier to look at. Secularism is linked to this painting because the sculpture shows individulism and political power towards that one person.
Work Cited
Biography.com Editors. "Lorenzo Ghiberti Biogarphy." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d.
Web. 03 Dec. 2015.
"Saint John the Baptist." Italianart. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Dec. 2015.