ABSTRACT
TheBaptisteryinFlorencewasgiven afacelift.In1401,itspatron,theCalimala, orclothmerchants'guild,announced acompetitionforanewsetofbronzedoors, whichwaswonbyGhiberti.Asecond setofdoorssoonfollowed(1425),and thesepanelsestablishedGhiberti astheleadingsculptorinF1orence. Workontheunfinishedcathedral (begun1299)wasresumedinamajoreffort tocompletethecrucialimageofcivicpower byitspatron,theArtedellaLana,orwool merchants'guild.Acompetitionwasheld
in1418tofindawayofconstructing theambitiousdome,whosedesignhad beenfinalizedin1367.Filippo Brunelleschiwonthecompetition despiteconsiderableopposition tohisunorthodoxschemefor adouble-shelledstructure.
