The gilded bronze panels of the Porta del Paradiso by Lorenzo Ghiberti: non-destructive analyses using X-ray fluorescence

We report the results of an analytical investigation on the bronze alloys of the Porta del Paradiso by Lorenzo Ghiberti using a portable X-ray fluorescence instrument. The study was carried out on five panels of the bronze artwork. It provided information on the artist's selection of the sculptural alloys and on some manufacturing details of interest for understanding the development of the art foundry during the early Renaissance.