the horizon extends well past the current scene in each panel. Ghiberti knew how to use the vanishing point and could manipulate it to give each panel a certain view of the scene. The perspective of each panel adds to the three-dimensionality of each one. The way the buildings are sculpted is like those in Massacio's paintings. Each panel holds a certain story of the Old Testament. In each panel, they're different scenes of each story. Characters in the panels appear in different places, so that the whole story can be told instead of a particular scene. The panel of Jacob and Esau is one of the more interesting ones in the set. In this panel, Ghiberti tells the story of Esau and his son Jacob. Esau is choosing one of his sons that will take his place. Jacob's mother was able to get Jacob into Esau's room while he was about to choose his successor. Esau eventually chooses Jacob to take his place. Jacob and Esau are in many locations in the panel. In the panel, you can see Esau's birth, Jacob talking with Esau, Esau hunting, and Esau's mother talking with Jacob and also Jacob giving Esau his birthright. The building in the middle of the panel are interesting because of its use of perspective and how it recedes into the background. The building is an open hallway with a stairs. Columns with Corinthian capitals support the arches of the hallway. On top of the arches is a balcony. The ways in which the floor tiles are sculpted lead to the belief that there is a vanishing point that they all point to. Again, Ghiberti uses background scenery to add to the perspective of depth. The different scenes in the panel also add to the uniqueness of the door panels. In this panel, off in the distance, on the right, Esau can be seen hunting on a hill. On the left side of this panel, is the scene of Esau's birth. In the middle of the panel, Jacob is seen talking to Esau. On the right foreground, Jacob is bestowing upon Esau his birthright. The figures i...
