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Relief - The Sacrifice of Isaac
  • The Sacrifice of Isaac
    Ghiberti, Lorenzo, born 1378 - died 1455
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The Sacrifice of Isaac

  • Object:

    Relief

  • Place of origin:

    Florence (made)
    London (cast)

  • Date:

    ca. 1401-1402 (made)
    ca. 1871 (cast)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Ghiberti, Lorenzo, born 1378 - died 1455 (sculptor)
    Giovanni Franchi and Son (maker)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Electrotype

  • Museum number:

    REPRO.1871-30

  • Gallery location:

    Cast Courts, Room 46b, The Weston Cast Court , case WS

This is an electrotype copy of the original fifteenth century panel executed by Lorenzo Ghiberti (1378-1455). In 1401, the Arte di Calimala (the guild of the merchant dealing in foreign cloth and export) decided to commission a second bronze door for the baptistery of Florence, to accompany the door completed by Andrea Pisano sixty-four years earlier. A competition was held for which seven competitors submitted trial reliefs of the Sacrifice of Isaac. The copy here is of Ghiberti's competition entry which was chosen in preference to that of his nearest rival, Filippo Brunelleschi. On the strength of this, Ghiberti was awarded the commission for the Baptistry. The original of this relief is now in the Museo Nazionale (Bargello) Florence.

Physical description

Electrotype copy of the gilt bronze door in the Museo Nazionale (Bargello), Florence made for the Baptistry of Florence by Lorenzo Ghiberti showing The Sacrifice of Isaac.

Place of Origin

Florence (made)
London (cast)

Date

ca. 1401-1402 (made)
ca. 1871 (cast)

Artist/maker

Ghiberti, Lorenzo, born 1378 - died 1455 (sculptor)
Giovanni Franchi and Son (maker)

Materials and Techniques

Electrotype

Dimensions

Height: 41 cm, Width: 38.5 cm

Object history note

Purchased from Giovanni Franchi in 1871 for £7.

Historical context note

In 1401, the Arte di Calimala (the guild of the merchants dealing in foreign cloth and export) decided to commission a second bronze door for the Baptistry of Florence, to accompany the door completed by Andrew Pisano sixty-four years earlier. A competition was held for which seven competitors submitted trial reliefs of the Sacrifice of Isaac. The copy here is of Ghiberti's competition entry which was chosen in preference to that of his nearest rival, Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446). On the strength of this, Ghiberti was awarded the commission for the Baptistry doors, which he executed between 1403 and 1424.

Descriptive line

Relief, electrotype, the Sacrifice of Isaac, copy of the competition panel for the bronze Baptistry door, by Lorenzo Ghiberti, 1401-2, the original held in the Museo Nazionale (Bargello) Florence, cast by Giovanni Franchi, ca. 1871

Production Note

Electrotype reproduction of fifteenth century original (ca. 1401-2)

Techniques

Electrotyping

Categories

Ph_survey; Sculpture; Religion

Collection

Sculpture Collection

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