The 1401 is a fundamental year for the History of Art: one of the Guilds of Florence had started a bidding for the production of one of the doors for the Baptistery of S. Johannes. During the competition two artists raised up, Filippo Brunelleschi and Lorenzo Ghiberti. The Guild committed the work bringing the theme of Isacco’ sacrifice, both artists realized a panel with this scene.
For those curious to know Lorenzo Ghiberti won the bidding and you can admire his work as well as the one of Brunelleschi’s at the Museo Bargello.
If Ghiberti is the winner of the bidding, Brunelleschi, with this work, has done one of the first representation of the new cultural movement: the Renaissance. Other important representatives of the early Renaissance period are Masaccio (Brancacci chapel in S. Maria del Carmine) and Donatello (Orsanmichele, Bargello National Museum).
This movement was characterized by the rediscovery of the classical tradition with a pursuit of harmony, beauty and perfection. These values are now centered toward the MAN the heart of the Renaissance becomes now the human, in full contrast with what has been for centuries during the middle ages when the only character was God.
The 15th century is centric for understanding the Renaissance a movement that continued until the end of the 16th century. Florence in the 1400 is the only absolute hub of the global culture and became the unopposed role model of inspiration for artists from all over the world.
Today you can feel the grandness of this city simply walking around its streets, however, if you want to see the most important work from this period you have to visit the Uffizi, the famous museum in the centre of Florence.