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Storytelling in Bronze: The Doors of the Baptistery of San Giovanni as Emblems of Florence's Roman History and Artistic Progression
Gregory, Erin M
Gregory, Erin M
Abstract
The three bronze doors of the Baptistery of San Giovanni stand as public expressions of Florenceās imperial history, economic stability, and artistic advances. These commissions can only be understood in their physical context within the Baptistery, the cityās most revered monument. The Baptistery testifies to Florenceās imperial Roman and early Christian history, and it serves vital religious and civic functions within the commune. Each bronze door guards the liminal space between the cityās public sphere and the sacred interior where the baptismal ritual is performed. The bronze medium and the narrative style of the doors further associate Florence with Rome, as well as advertise the communeās economic stability. Artists Andrea Pisano, the creator of the earliest door, and Lorenzo Ghiberti, the creator of the two later doors, successfully express Florenceās preeminence through their narrative and stylistic approaches. Each artist develops innovative spatial techniques that allow him to create complex narratives. The artistic advancement evidenced by these doors reaffirms Florenceās place among the leading cities of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.
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2014-04-01
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Art and Art History