DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.51584#0099
LORENZO GHIBERTI.
95
on the Continent. King Louis-Philippe'has muni-
ficently presented a set to our government School
of Design, and they are now placed at the upper
end of the third room, and cemented together with
the surrounding frieze, so as to give a perfect idea
of the arrangement in the original gates. Among
the casts and models in the School of Design at
Somerset House is an exquisite little basso-rilievo,
representing the Triumph of Ariadne, so perfect, so
pure, so classical in taste, that it might easily be
mistaken for a fragment of the finest Greek sculp-
ture.* These are the only specimens of Ghiberti’s
skill to which the writer can refer as accessible in
this country.
Engraved outlines of the subjects on the three
gates were published at Florence in 1821, by G. P.
Lasinio.f There is also a large set of engravings
from the ten subjects on the principal gate, executed
in a good bold style by Thomas Patch, and pub-
lished by him at Florence in 17714
* This cast (which formed part of the collection in the
time of Mr. Dyce, the late director) was not to be found
when the writer of this note visited the School of Design in
1845. It was designed to ornament a pedestal for an an-
tique statue of Bacchus.
t ‘ Le tre Porte del Battistero di San Giovanni di
Firenze, incise ed illustrate.’
1 The bronze doors of the church De la Madeleine at
Paris were executed, a few years ago, in imitation of the
Gates of Ghiberti, by M. Henri de Triqueti, a young sculptor
of singular merit and genius. The ^subjects are the Ten
Commandments.
95
on the Continent. King Louis-Philippe'has muni-
ficently presented a set to our government School
of Design, and they are now placed at the upper
end of the third room, and cemented together with
the surrounding frieze, so as to give a perfect idea
of the arrangement in the original gates. Among
the casts and models in the School of Design at
Somerset House is an exquisite little basso-rilievo,
representing the Triumph of Ariadne, so perfect, so
pure, so classical in taste, that it might easily be
mistaken for a fragment of the finest Greek sculp-
ture.* These are the only specimens of Ghiberti’s
skill to which the writer can refer as accessible in
this country.
Engraved outlines of the subjects on the three
gates were published at Florence in 1821, by G. P.
Lasinio.f There is also a large set of engravings
from the ten subjects on the principal gate, executed
in a good bold style by Thomas Patch, and pub-
lished by him at Florence in 17714
* This cast (which formed part of the collection in the
time of Mr. Dyce, the late director) was not to be found
when the writer of this note visited the School of Design in
1845. It was designed to ornament a pedestal for an an-
tique statue of Bacchus.
t ‘ Le tre Porte del Battistero di San Giovanni di
Firenze, incise ed illustrate.’
1 The bronze doors of the church De la Madeleine at
Paris were executed, a few years ago, in imitation of the
Gates of Ghiberti, by M. Henri de Triqueti, a young sculptor
of singular merit and genius. The ^subjects are the Ten
Commandments.