Italy from the Alps to Mount Etna . years 1427, and 1452,Lorenzo Ghiberti completes histwo great bronze gates for theother portals of the Baptistery,of which gates Michael Angelosays that they are worthy tostand at the entrance to Para-dise. A whole world of thought,the fulness of the spiritual lifeof that day, is fixed into exqui-site forms in these bronze gates. Ghiberti joins the old art to the new, which lattertends entirely to the representation of Nature; and such men as Brunelleschi, Quercia,Donatello, active workers in marble and bronze, and many more besides, are his worthycompeers. B
Italy from the Alps to Mount Etna . years 1427, and 1452,Lorenzo Ghiberti completes histwo great bronze gates for theother portals of the Baptistery,of which gates Michael Angelosays that they are worthy tostand at the entrance to Para-dise. A whole world of thought,the fulness of the spiritual lifeof that day, is fixed into exqui-site forms in these bronze gates. Ghiberti joins the old art to the new, which lattertends entirely to the representation of Nature; and such men as Brunelleschi, Quercia,Donatello, active workers in marble and bronze, and many more besides, are his worthycompeers. But so great is the productive power of this time, that shortly a third species of artarises, which combines painting and sculpture : the art, namely, of working in tcrra-cotta,baked and coloured clay. It was invented by Luca della Robbia, and carried on after hisdeath by his nephews and great nephews. Luca della Robbia also worked in of his productions, which is worthy to be compared with the finest in this kind, stands. BRONZE FOUNTAIN IN THE PIAZZA DELLA SANTISSIMAANNUNZIATA. 1/4 ITALY. above the organ in the Duomo at Florence, and consists of bas-reliefs representing groupsof children dancing, singing, and playing on musical instruments. He has richly endowedhis native city Florence, and other parts of Tuscany with his terra-cottas ; works full ofsimplicity, sentiment, and piety. For the Art of the Renaissance had its source inreligious enthusiasm ; but it was enthusiasm which soon got beyond the limits prescribedby the priests, and to which the Beautiful in and for itself is sacred. True painting, says Michael Angelo, is pious and noble in itself; forthe mere striving after per-fection elevates the soul todevotion, inasmuch as itbrings it into closer com-munion with God. The Art of the Floren-tines had continued to erowever richer, more many-sided,more accurately faithful in itsdelineations of actual life,when,—perhaps at the mo-ment that the turning-pointAvas
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Keywords: ., bookauthorcavagnasangiulianidig, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870
