Sculptor, born Florence, Italy, c.1381;died there, 1455. He was the son of a goldsmith and first studied painting. In 1401, in a competition with Brunelleschi and others, he won the commission to execute the north doors of the baptistery of San Giovanni in Florence. The work was finished in 1424. Twenty small medallions were devoted to scenes from the New Testament, and eight to the Evangelists and four great doctors of the Church. In 1425 Ghiberti was appointed to design the main doors, facing the Duomo. This is his masterpiece, completed in 1452. Ten compartments represent scenes from the Old Testament. They are crowded with figures and suggest painting rather than sculpture. The doors and the panels are bordered with an elaborate frieze of flowers and small figures. Michelangelo declared them worthy to be the doors of Paradise.