Which biblical source provided the scenes for the Gates of Paradise?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Bronze self-portrait of Lorenzo Ghiberti in relief, set within ornate floral and geometric decoration on the Gates of Paradise at the Florence Baptistery. — Lorenzo Ghiberti Self-portrait by Lorenzo Ghiberti, detail from *Gates of Paradise*, 1425–52; gilded bronze doors formerly on the east side of the Baptistery of San Giovanni, Florence, and now on display in Opera del Duomo Museum, Florence.

The scenes depicted on the Gates of Paradise, designed by the Italian sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti, are drawn from the Old Testament.1

Each of the two wings of these gilded bronze doors features five large, rectangular relief panels illustrating these biblical narratives. These panels are celebrated for their mastery of linear perspective and their classical influence, marking them as a pinnacle of Early Renaissance sculpture.1