' 'Baptistry Door ' Lorenzo Ghiberti (Italian 1378 1455 ) Bronze Circa 1425-1452

Lorenzo Ghiberti ( 1378-1455 ) an Italian goldsmith and one of the greatest sculptors of the early Renaissance was born in Florence . In 1401 The Merchants Guild of Florence decided upon two new doors for the Baptistry ,and all the artists of Italy were asked to compete . Ghiberti won the competition because of the superiority of his design . He laboured for almost 20 years on the first gate , which consists of 28 panels , representing incidents in the life of Christ , the Church Fathers and the Evangelists . So well had Ghiberti completed his task he immediately received a commission for a second gate . Upon this one he spent a further 20 years , choosing subjects from the Old Testament . The bronze gates are among the finest works of art in Italy . Michelangelo said of them that they were : " Worthy to be the Gates of Paradise "