Vatican City, Italy (Enclave of Rome): St. Peter's Basilica: Bronze Doors by Filarete
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Authors
Sheppard, Beth M.
Issue Date
May 20, 2017
Type
Image
Language
Keywords
Italy , Vatican City , Rome , St. Peter's Basilica , Bronze Doors , Filarete , Italian Renaissance Art , Sacred Art , Church Art , Christ in Art , Virgin Mary in Art , St. Peter in Art , St. Paul in Art , Eugene IV in Art
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Abstract
Description
The bronze doors of St. Peter's Basilica, fashioned by the Florentine sculptor Filarete and his workshop, 1433-1445, which one sees when entering St. Peter's Basilica through the main gate. These bronze doors are among few works of art to survive when Old St. Peter's Basilica was destroyed in the 16th century and were incorporated in the central porch of the new basilica. The doors feature relief designs of holy figures. The four large rectangular panels depict, from the upper left in clockwise order: Christ, the Virgin Mary, St. Peter, and St. Paul. The square panels below the saints depict their respective martyrdom scenes: crucified upside down and beheading. The smaller panels depict scenes from the life of Pope Eugene IV, who commissioned the doors. A good website that identifies and shows detailed images of the 25 scenes on the door is available at: https://stpetersbasilica.info/Interior/DoorFilarete/DoorFilarete.htm.
Citation
Publisher
License
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0