Door of the Martyrs, Bronze relief sculpture in the Old Sacristy of San Lorenzo Basilica, Florence, Italy.
This bronze relief door stands 235 centimeters tall and 109 centimeters wide, featuring ten panels depicting martyred saints in dynamic poses with intense expressions and dramatic gestures throughout the composition.
Created by Donatello between 1434 and 1442 for the Medici family's private chapel in San Lorenzo Basilica, this door represents one of the earliest examples of Renaissance bronze relief sculpture in Florence.
The door depicts various Christian martyrs including Saints Stephen, Lawrence, Cosmas and Damian, reflecting the religious devotion and artistic patronage of the powerful Medici family during the Italian Renaissance period.
Located within the Old Sacristy of San Lorenzo Basilica, visitors can view this masterpiece during regular museum hours while the work undergoes conservation treatment at the Opificio delle Pietre Dure laboratories.
Unlike other relief sculptures of its time, this door features no repeated compositional schemes across its panels, with each scene maintaining complete artistic individuality even in the most crowded narrative moments.
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