A little over six hundred years ago, two artists competed for a special commission, both executing a disturbing subject. The winner went on to execute that commission and then a second on the same building -- the latter described by a great, much later artist in rather exalted terms. Who were these two artists, for what were they competing, and on what equally-famous project did the loser eventually achieve fame?

JaneofGaunt

I'll say the competition in 1401 for the Baptistry doors of San Lorenzo in Florence. Ghiberti and Brunelleschi both submitted panels depicting the Sacrifice of Isaac. Ghiberti won the competiton and took years to complete the doors. He went on to design a second set of doors for the Baptistry and these were named "worthy of Paradise" by Michelangelo; the doors becoming known as the Doors of Paradise. http://www.mega.it/eng/egui/monu/bo.htm Brunelleschi meantime, around 1414/1415, went on to design and build the dome of Santa Maria de Fiore in Florence, another masterpiece. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filippo_Brunelleschi Dec 29 06, 9:32 PM

lanfranco

Very nice, Jane, another silver mace to you. And I like the fact that your site discusses the early doors by Pisano. Those two competition panels can still be seen in the Museo Nazionale del Bargello in Florence. Dec 29 06, 10:44 PM