North Doors (Life of Christ)

The theme for Ghiberti's north doors of the Baptistery is the life of Christ in 20 scenes with the 8 lower panels containing the Evangelists and Fathers of the Church. As these doors were kept shut, except on feast days, the scenes read from the bottom accross both wings.

The first panels executed reveal that Ghiberti tried to harmonize his compositions with the Gothic quatrefoil. The slender, lyrical figures approximate those of International Gothic painters like Lorenzo Monaco and Gentile da Fabriano. Their draperies establish patterns of fluid elegance which contribute a rhythmic unity to the design. As his work progressed, his compositions became more complex and his forms began to fight with the quattrefoil. Since he included ever more ambitious architectural and geometrical elements, his compositions evolved towards the new rectilinear Renaissance format.

The decision partly to gild the doors was made in 1423 and they were hung in 1424.

The 20 scenes from the life of Christ are

1. Annunciation
2. Nativity
3. Adoration of the Magi
4. Dispute with the Doctors
5. Baptism of Christ
6. Temptation of Christ
7. Chasing the merchants from the Temple
8. Jesus walking on water and saving Peter
9. Transfiguration
10. Resurrection of Lazarus
11. Entry of Jesus in Jerusalem
12. Last Supper
13. Agony in the Garden
14. Christ captured
15. Flagellation
16. Jesus before Pilate
17. Ascent to Calvary
18. Crucifixion
19. Resurrection
20. Pentecost

The four Evangelists are

• A. St John
• B. St Matthew
• C. St Luke
• D. St Mark

The four Church Fathers are

• E. St Ambrose
• F. St Jerome
• G. St Gregory
• H. St Augustine

View the arrangement of the panels on the north doors of the Baptistery.