The Baptistry of Florence
A Baptistry is defined as the locus for baptism. This is usually done inside churches in a baptismal font and does not require a separate building, but Florence (like Pisa) has separated out the parts of its Cathedral complex. We tend to think of the baptistry as a structure that completes the cathedral (Duomo) and Giotto’s belltower (campanile), but actually it was the FIRST structure on this spot!
Let’s take a moment to learn more about the history and layout of this important building.
Exterior of the Florence Baptistry
Originally a large roman domus that was expanded in the 6th century to become a church, the structure was rennovated in the 11th century in the Romanesque style. This means that it takes some characteristics of Roman architecture, like pilasters and pediments (those triangles over the windows), but adds a Tuscan feel like the green and white marble alternation.
Three sets of Doors
The Baptistry has three sets of bronze doors. Let’s get them straight before we get confused. Stand at the door of the Duomo (or picture yourself there) and these are where the doors are located.
- 1st doors: Andrea Pisano, 1330. These are on the left side of the Baptistry (looking at it from the Duomo). Also known as South Doors.
- 2nd doors: Lorenzo Ghiberti, 1403-24. These are on the right side of the building if you look at it from the Duomo. Also known as North Doors.
- Gates of Paradise (copy in place outside, originals in Museo dell’Opera del Duomo): Lorenzo Ghiberti, 1426-52. These are the big gilded doors that face the Duomo. Also known as East doors.
Andrea Pisano: South door (head of John the Baptist)
The two earlier sets of doors, by Ghiberti and Pisano, are made to match each other (well, Ghiberti had to work with the shape chosen by the earlier sculptor). The artists were constrained to work in low relief within a “quattrefoil” shape, a cross between a diamond and a clover leaf. Andrea Pisano’s work reflects the style of Giotto in Santa Croce. He pairs down the scenes to basics. There are a lot of lovely details in this work, but his figures are somewhat stilted.
Lorenzo Ghiberti: North door (christ among the doctors)
By contrast, Ghiberti, who won the job for his “first” doors in a public competition (1401) against Brunelleschi, sculpts figures in higher relief and that are in harmony with their backgrounds. There tend to be more figures per scene and more motion implied through drapery and gesture. He has a greater capacity for narrative, a skill that he further develops in the process of making the Gates of Paradise.
After finishing his first doors, Ghiberti was given the commission for a second set without a “concorso” (competition). This time he did not have to work with the quattrefoil format and so is able to explore the potential of space in narrative. It is worth it to go see the originals at the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo (behind the Duomo) to examine the originals up close.
Baptistry Interior
Inside the Baptistry is the only large mosaic cycle in Florence, begun at the end of the 13th century. The predominantly gold images (composed of individual glass tesserae that enclose real gold leaf) depict Christ in a mandorla at the Last Judgement, orders of angels, and the fathers of the church; there are also narrative images from the stories of Mary, Christ, St. John the Baptist, and others. But that’s material for a whole other blog post!
