Sculptures of the Week - The Sacrifice of Isaac by Brunelleschi and Ghiberti

In 1401, the Wool Merchants Guild of Florence (Arte di Calimala) decided to commission a new set of bronze doors to the Baptistry (San Giovanni), the little octagonal church behind The Duomo (Santa Maria del Fiore). So that you get the idea that this was no ordinary commission, the budget allocated to the new doors was 20 000 florins, which according to the lecturer I had in Italian Renaissance art, was equal to Florence's annual defence budget. I don't have a source for that. Anyway, to make sure they hired the right guy, the Guild decided to set up a competition whereby sculptors would have to make a relief sculpture depicting the Sacrifice of Isaac with various elements shown to test the skill and range of the competitors. This competition is regarded as the inaugurating event of the Renaissance because of the concentration on aesthetics of the work as well as the skill of the artist.

Filippo Brunelleschi, The Sacrifice of Isaac, 1401
Museo del Bargello, Florence, Italy
(Source)

Brunelleschi's entry is based on a planar, horizontal view with the characters in profile. The panel is filled with details and the action is front row centre. His interest is taken with depicting the scene realistically - Isaac actually looks young - and with a nod to the art of antiquity through the modelling of the characters.

Lorenzo Ghiberti, The Sacrifice of Isaac, 1401
Museo del Bargello, Florence, Italy
(Source)

Ghiberti's panel also shows the influence of classical art and realism, but instead has a greater narrative component. Using a diagonal composition, the angel flies in to stop Abraham just as he's about to do the deed. There is a greater emphasis of depth created by casting two separate pieces which were later soldered together. While more technically accomplished than Brunelleschi's, it actually used less bronze and implied that Ghiberti's work would therefore be cheaper than his competitor's.

Ghiberti won the competition :D