Lorenzo Ghiberti, Frame of the North Door

Frame of the North Door, in bronze with gilded detail, made by Lorenzo Ghiberti in 1423-1424. The frame decorates the jambs and architrave of the northern entrance to the Baptistery with elegant bas-reliefs: on the inside faces, stems of roses and lilies are joined by a ribbon, rising in a spiral. On the front of the jambs, two leafy and flowered and festoons are dotted with animals of the undergrowth, and birds that scent or eat the fruits. The festoons rise, come together and unite in the centre of the lintel, finishing in two olive fronds with a standing dove. This rich and varied decoration would allude to the abundance of the Garden of Eden, and so to the human condition before original sin. This in turn links with the sacrament of Baptism, washing away the stain of original sin, administered within the temple. The olive fronds too allude to Baptism, since this is the tree that gives the chrismal oil, sign of the sacrament. Finally, the dove is an image of the Holy Spirit, received by the faithful with their anointing.