Also Known by the Nickname:

Lifetime: 1380 - 1445

Born: He was born in 1380 in Florence, Italy

Family connections : He was the son of a goldsmith

Childhood, early life and education: Well educated

Occupation and Career:

• 1392: Lorenzo Ghiberti was admitted into the "Silk and Gold" Guild and started his apprenticeship as a goldsmith

• Lorenzo Ghiberti received his early training in the workshop of Bartoluccio

• 1398: Lorenzo Ghiberti passed his examination and became a guild master goldsmith

• 1401: Filippo Brunelleschi and Lorenzo Ghiberti won a competition designing the bronze doors of Baptistery of Florence Cathedral

  • This work featured the panels of the Sacrifice of Isaac

• 1403: Lorenzo Ghiberti was awarded the contract in preference to Brunelleschi and started work on the set of Bronze Doors to North Doors of the Baptistery of San Giovanni, Florence. These bronze doors had 28 panels, 23 of which showed the life of Christ. This first set of Bronze doors took Lorenzo Ghiberti 21 years to complete

• 1414 - 1416:  Lorenzo Ghiberti completed a bronze statue of St. John the Baptist, the patron Saint of Florence

• 1424: Lorenzo Ghiberti completed the first set of bronze doors

• 1425-1452: Lorenzo Ghiberti started work on the East Doors of the Baptistery of San Giovanni, Florence. The Bronze doors had 10 panels depicting scenes from the Old Testament - the beautiful doors are referred to as 'The Gates of Paradise'

• 1447-1455: Lorenzo Ghiberti wrote 'I Commentari' in three books. 'I Commentari' includes his commentaries on Vitruvius and Pliny the Elder and his own autobiography

Died: Lorenzo Ghiberti died in 1445

Accomplishments and Achievements or why Lorenzo Ghiberti was famous: Medieval sculptor and painter. His work on the set of beautiful bronze doors on the East Doors of the Baptistery of San Giovanni, Florence were referred to as "The Gates Of Paradise" by Michelangelo. Lorenzo Ghiberti was a founder of the Renaissance, an intellectual movement that started in the Italian city of Florence in the early 15th century.