Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 6.djvu/618

 6HIBELLINES

544

GHIBERTI

We shall speak only of the first and second of these institutions, the development of which was truly ex- traordinary. The Sisters of Charity now number more than 1300, and their benevolent activity is spread throughout Belgium, Holland, England, the Congo, India (Punjab), and Ceylon. They are en- gaged not only in the instruction of children, but give intelligent and devoted care to deaf mutes, the insane and incurables. In Europe more than 6000 infirm are sheltered in their houses. The Congregation of the Brothers of Charity, which numbers about 1000 religious, is s|»read through- out Belgium and has been ex- tended succes- sivelv to Canada, the Unite<l States, England. Ireland, and the Nether- lands. .\t pres- ent it possesses 44 establishments where more than 1)000 insane, aged, and sick persons and many other unfortunates are cared for. The Brothers teach and care for more than 11,000 children and poor youths, 440 deaf mutes and blind persons, 450 youthful ilelini(uents and 1000 foundlings.

Truly remarkable relii^ious monuments of the dio- cese are: the cathedral of Saint-Bavon and the churches of Saint-Nicholas, Saint-Jacques, and Saint-Michel at Ghent, the church of Saint-Martin at Alost, and the churches of Notre-Dame and Sainte-Walburge at Ou- denarde. From an architectural point of view the cathedral of Saint-Bavon at Ghent is one of the most beautiful churches in Belgium and is undoubtedly the richest in objects of art. Among its numerous works of sculpture the tomb of Bishop Triest, by Jerome Duquesnoy, is incontestably the masterpiece, and has been rightfully called " the most beautiful work of national statuary". The cathedral of Ghent is de- servedly famovis for the immortal altar-piece of the brothers Hubert and Jan Van Eyck, known as "Tlie Adoration of the Lamb ", which was completed in 1432. The cathedral now possesses only the central panel of the picture, the most important portion of the work. The side panels are at Berlin and at Brussels.

Hellin, Histoire chronotogique des eveques de Gand (Ghent, 1772); Almanack duclerge de Gand (Ghent, 18S0- 1909); Ker- STEN, Journal historiqiie et litteraire (Lifege, 1834-35 to 1861- 62): Claessens, Quelques iclaircissemenls sur I'elablissement des eviches dans les Pays-Bas (Louvain, 1859); Idem, La Bel- gique chretienne depuis la conqu^te franpaise jusqiiWi nos jours (Brussels, 1883); De Smet, Coup d'oeil sur Vhistoire ecdesias- iique dans les premieres annees du XIX' Steele (Ghent, 1849) ; Van der Moere, Recit de la persecution enduree par les semina- risles du diocese de Gand (Ghent, 1863). Consult also Nameche, Cours d'hisloire nationale (Louvain, 1894); Bracq, Vie de Mqr de Broglie (Ghent, 1844); Lavact, Vie de Mgr Bracq (Ghent, 1897); Daens, Vie de Mar Lambrecht (Alost, 1889); De Decker, Jan Frans Van de Velde (St. Nicholas, 1897); Fae- i.ENs, Histoire du petit seminaire de St-?v^icolas (St. Nicholas, 1908); Centenaire de la Congregation des Frires de la Charili- (Manage, 1908); Kehvyn de Volkaersbeke, Les eglises de Gand (Ghent, 1857); Goetcebuer, L'Eglise cathedrale de St- Bavon (Ghent, 1893); Van den Ghevn, La cathedrale de St- Bavon.

G. Van den Gheyn. Ghibellines. See Guelphs and Ghibellines.

Ghiberti, Louenzo di C'ione, sculptor; b. at Flor- ence about 1381; d. there, December, 1455. He

ushered in the early Renaissance in his native city of Florence as a sculptor in bronze, just as Masaccio led the way in the art of painting, and Brunellesco in archi- tecture. In a competition for the best design for the second bronze door, the one on the north side of the baptistery, Ghiberti carried off the prize offered by the merchants' guild of Florence in 1401; among his many rivals was Brunellesco. The designs presented by Ghiberti and Brunellesco, the subject of which was the Sacrifice of Isaac, are preserved in the Museo Na- zionale of Florence. The work of Andrea Pisano on the south portal served as a model for the north portal. The style of the Trecento (Italian Renaissance of the fourteenth century) is apparent in the typical heads, in the lines, and the somewhat stiff character of the action, but there is more freedom in the forms, the ex- pression, and the handling of the spaces. The wings of the doors are divided by vertical and horizontal bands into twenty-eight panels, in each of which the relief is enclosed in a modified quatrefoil. The jambs, lintels and friezes are decorated with leaves and flow- ers. Al the angles of the panels are the heads of prophets and of sibyls. The twentj' upper scenes are taken from the life of Christ, the eight lower ones represent the four Evangelists and four Fathers of the Church. The whole composition is sober, pleasing, and harmonious. This portal finished (1403-1424), Ghiberti undertook the eastern, main portal, the work in this showing greater freedom in the treatment and an advance in style. It includes ten scenes from the Old Testament, most of which are subdivided into several subjects. The reliefs produce a pictorial effect by reason of the nmuber of figures, perspective, grouping, landscape and architectural background. They were completed in 1452. Ghiberti here shows himself in the development of sculpture the rival of his contemporary Masaccio. In fact he compels the less responsive art of sculpture to vie with the more vivacious sister art of painting. His " Para- dise", for instance, includes a number of lesser subjects from the creation of .\dam to his expulsion from Eden; the foremost figures are almost in the round, the relief becoming less marked as the figures, that at the same time grow smaller, recede from the foreground. His effort to follow nature is further- more shown by the character expressed in the faces and the action; there is withal no loss of grace or beauty. Ghiberti is a master of technic; its per- fection is everywhere evident, even in details of or- nament. Vases containing vines intertwined with fruits and supporting the figures of various animals, adorn the frames of the doors. Each wing has a .sepa- rate frame ornamented with statuettes in niches di- vided from each otlier by decorative busts. Of this gate Michelangelo declared that it was worthy to be the entrance of Paradise. Ghiberti himself, in a de- scription of the work found among his papers, pro- nounced it his foremost achievement. In one of the small medallions of the framework of the houses, doubtless with a just pride in his achievement, he has preserved his own portrait.

The same high art characterizes his treatment of the reliquary of St. Zenobius in the cathedral of Flor- ence. On three sides are scenes descriptive of the miracles of the saint, the fourth is adorned with a wreath and angels. The reliquary of San Giacinto is decorated with hovering angels, but on the front only. Among the grave-slabs designed by Ghiberti the bas- relief of Leonardo Dati in Santa Maria Novella de- serves especial mention. The church of Or San Michele possesses many specimens of the new plastic art of this era of the Renaissance, among them three statr ues by Ghiberti, the latest and best of the three being that of St. Stephen. Apart from their many great merits these large statues exhibit one weakness of the master, i. e. the treatment of draperies and the pose. Originally a goldsmith, and working mostly in relief,