Ghiberti and brunelleschi competition

Lorenzo Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi were both chosen for a competition in 1401 to create a quatrefoil for the Florence Baptistry doors to see who would win the overall commission of the doors.

Ghiberti wrote of his victory, while Brunelleschi wrote about a tied competition from which he backed out. But who was telling the truth, and what happened in the end?

Lorenzo Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi: It’s a Tie

In 1401, the Arte del Calimala, a wool merchant guild in Florence, was responsible for the outer aesthetics of the Florence Baptistry of Saint John.

There were elaborate bronze doors installed in the 14th century, and the guild sought to continue the tradition by finding someone to create new ornate doors for the building. They reached out to artists in the area to compete in a competition on who could make the best doors for the baptistry.

The chosen subject was the biblical story of the sacrifice of