Ghiberti
LORENZO (gē-ber'tē), an Italian sculptor; born in Pelago, GHUR Italy, in 1378. He early learned from his stepfather Bartoluccio, an expert goldsmith, the arts of drawing and modeling, and that of casting metals.
He was engaged in painting frescoes at Rimini, in the pal palace of Pandolfo Malatesta, when the priori of the society of merchants at Florence invited artists to propose models for one of the bronze doors of the baptistery of San Giovanni.
The judges selected the works of Brunellesco and Ghiberti as the best, but the former voluntarily withdrew his claims, giving the preference to Ghiberti. After 21 years' labor Ghiberti completed the door, and, at the request of the priori, executed a second, after almost as long a period. Michael Angelo said of these that they were worthy of adorning the entrance to paradise. During these 40 years Ghiberti also completed other works, bas-reliefs, statues, and some excellent paintings on glass, most of which may be seen in the cathedral and the Church of Or San Michele at Florence.
He died in Florence, Italy, in 1455.
GHIRLANDAJO (ger-län-dä'yō), IL.
DOMENICO CURRADI, nick-named Il Ghirlandajo ("the garland-maker"), an Italian painter; born in Florence, Italy, in 1449. As a youth he was apprenticed to a goldsmith, and it was not until his 31st year that he became known as a painter. He painted principally frescoes, and in his native city. The Church of Ognisanti there contains from his hand a "St. Jerome" and a "Last Supper" (1480); the Palazzo Vecchio, the "Apotheosis of St. Zenobius" (1481-1485); the church of St. Trinità, six subjects from the life of St. Francis (1485) and an altar-piece, the "Adoration of the Shepherds"; the choir of St. Maria Novella, a series illustrating the lives of the Virgin and the Baptist (1490). Between 1482 and 1484 he painted for Pope Sixtus IV., in the Sistine Chapel at Rome, the excellent fresco "Christ Calling Peter and Andrew," and about the same time two pictures in the chapel of St. Fina at San Gimignano. Besides these he also executed some easel pictures of great merit, as "Adoration of the Magi" (1488), in the church of the Innocents at Florence; the "Visitation of the Virgin" (1491), in the Louvre; the "Adoration of the Virgin by the Saints," in the Uffizi at Florence; and "Christ in Glory," at Volterra. He also executed mosaics, that of the "Annunciation" in the cathedral of Florence being especially celebrated. He died in Florence, Italy, Jan. 11, 1494.
GHÛR (gör), or GHORE (gōr), a mountainous district of western Afghanistan, lying S. E. from Herât and N. GHÛRI W. from Kandahar; inhabited by Hazaras and Eimaks , and since 1845 has been included in the territory of Herât.
GHÛRI, a dynasty of princes who had the seat of their empire in the country of Ghûr, and ruled over Persia, Afghanistan, northern Hindustan, and Transoxiana. We first read of Ghûr in connection nection with Mahmud of Ghazni and his whom subjugated the region in 1020. About a century later Malik Izzuddin made himself ruler of all the Ghûr self ruler of all the Ghûr country. His Burner), fell upon Ghazni, and took it and burned it to the ground. nd. This prince's it to the ground. This prince's nephews, , established their power in Khorasan and Ghazni.
The latter, crossing the Indus, then conquered successively the quered successively the provinces of Lahore (1186), and Ajmere (1190), and in the course of the next six years, all Hindustan as far the Irawadi. On the death of Muizzuddin the Indian states asserted their independence, the confined to power of the Ghûri being confined to and Herât. This last feeble remnant was taken from them by 1215. Some 30 years later the Ghûr princes managed their former power at Herât, which they retained by Mongols down to 1383, when the city was captured by sovereignty came to an end.