A gold recast of Italian Renaissance sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti’s etchings debuted at the BYU Museum of Art Feb. 19. The 18-foot-tall work depicts 10 stories from the Old Testament.
More than 10 years ago, Brigham Young University acquired more than 10 gypsum casts of Ghiberti's famous "Gates of Paradise" (originally created 1425–1452) from a basement at BYU–Hawaii. The original artwork serves as the doors to the historic Baptistery of San Giovanni in Florence, Italy.
The plasters were discovered by now-retired BYU art education professor Sharon Gray, who visited BYU–Hawaii to collaborate with its art department. During her stay, she found crates containing gypsum plasters of Ghiberti's sculptures.
“With her dogged and impressive determination, she began a series of conversations with leadership at BYU–Hawaii," Janalee Emmer, director of the BYU Museum of Art, said.
Gray also spoke with leaders at the BYU Provo campus and museum directors. Eventually, a team was sent from Provo to retrieve the crates.
“Since they arrived here in 2016, we began an intensive period of research, condition reporting and repairing broken clusters, restoring the details in those clusters and finally this summer, building them with gold leafing … We are the only place that has gilded plaster (replicas),” Emmer explained.
BYU MOA manager of exhibition production and installation, John Adams, led the project with the help of a team of BYU students. Recognition was given to students, staff, donors and leaders from the community who contributed to the project.
Praise was given to Adams for his contributions and expertise in the restoration of the gilded sculptures.
“John has been a member of the MOA team for 20 years. He is extremely skilled … and he embraced the challenge with humility, dedication and incredible perseverance,” Emmer said.
Adams recounted the condition in which the gypsum plasters had been when his team received them. “Long narrow panels were cracked across their length, small broken pieces rested at the bottom of their crates like forgotten bones," he said.
However, despite the poor condition of the replicas, Adams felt qualified for the challenge.
“In that moment, I felt something change; it stopped being a job and became a stewardship. And stewardship carries weight. Not because you own something, but because you answer for how you care for it,” Adams said.
Adams and his dedicated team of students worked long hours to restore worn down detail, put back together broken fragments and brush on gold leafing to all 18 feet of the display. Adams said this process strengthened his testimony in Jesus Christ.
“There is something deeply spiritual about restoration work. You learn to slow down, to pay attention, to respect what came before you, to learn that your job is not to impose but to serve,” Adams said.
Adams closed his remarks by inviting MOA guests to “Take a moment to look closely. Notice the faces, notice the movement, the storytelling carved at the dawn of the Renaissance … And consider the quiet story of stewardship, faith and persistence," Adams said.
A veil was then pulled, revealing the brilliant gilded work. Guests reached for their phones to capture a photo of the stunning pieces. After a moment, an enormous line was formed as guests anxiously waited to see the exhibit.
“It was breathtaking there. I’m very, very glad I came out today,” Maria Burch, a MOA guest, said.
Gilded Paradise will be exhibited in the BYU Museum of Art until Oct. 24. Events celebrating the history and symbolism behind the artwork will take place during the remainder of the winter 2026 semester.
