BYU’s Museum of Art hosted Steven Bule, professor emeritus of Art and Architecture History at Utah Valley University, on Sept. 18 for a guest lecture on Lorenzo Ghiberti’s “Gates of Paradise.”
The replica of the “Gates of Paradise” at BYU has been on display at the MOA since February. Since then, the museum has sought out qualified individuals, such as art historians and professors of ancient scripture, to share their perspective on the gilded doors.
“Dr. Bule is one of those individuals that we sought out,” said Riley Lewis, marketing and public relations manager at the museum. “We were just like ‘You know, we think you’d have an amazing, informed perspective on this masterpiece and what it means to have it here.’”
Bule previously taught Art History at BYU and created the Art History M.A. degree.
Students, faculty, and many guests from the community gathered at the base of BYU’s replica of the Gates and listened intently as Bule spoke. He described Ghiberti’s contributions to Renaissance art and the history behind the creation of the Gates.
Bule also showed pictures from the extensive restoration process the original Gates underwent after facing centuries of exposure to the elements, the threat of bombings during World War II and a catastrophic flood that hit Florence, Italy in 1966.
Additionally, Bule pointed out something that is missing on BYU’s replica of the gilded doors: an inscribed signature from Ghiberti, something not commonly found in Renaissance artwork.
“We might be tempted to dismiss Ghiberti’s inscription as nothing more than an artist’s boast, a product of ego,” Bule said. “But even if we were to see it in that way, he had every right to boast, didn’t he? Look at those doors, they are sublime!”
Bule continued, “I’ve also come to see Ghiberti’s inscription in a broader light as an indication not only to wonder at his art, but to wonder and celebrate the art of his generation.”
“I really liked hearing about the inscriptions,” Lila Miller said. Miller is currently a student at John Adams College, a liberal arts institution located in Provo. “I thought it was cool how [Bule] said that it was like an invitation to look at the art of all the artists.”
Gracie Sands, another student of John Adams College and peer of Miller also attended the lecture.
“I love the way [Ghiberti’s] art tells a story,” Sands said. “It’s very different from some of the other Renaissance sculptors or paintings because it includes so much background and detail in such a small space, and so I think it’s beautiful that he can tell so many stories.”
Miller and Sands are majoring in classical liberal arts. One of their classes is currently focused on the Renaissance and artwork from that era.
“We’re studying the Renaissance and Michelangelo and Ghiberti, and so this was just perfectly aligned,” Sands said. “We wanted to come and see it in person.”
BYU’s exhibit containing “Gates of Paradise” will be on display until Oct. 24. Afterwards, the Gates will be moved to the main atrium of the museum.
“There will be a very short window where we’ll be moving them and they won’t be on display, but then the plan is to keep them on basically forever after that,” Lewis said.
The 3D models contained in the exhibit will be put into the museum’s education collection and used for special tours and events. The audio visual content will be put on the MOA’s website for people to continue learning about the gates even long after the exhibit ends.
