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How Renaissance masterpiece casts ended up at BYU via forgotten Hawaii crate

September 16, 2026 at 1:02 PM MT · via KSL · Summarized by Mormon News from original reporting

How Renaissance masterpiece casts ended up at BYU via forgotten Hawaii crate
Image via KSL

A forgotten crate in Hawaii held casts of Lorenzo Ghiberti's 'Gates of Paradise,' the bronze doors Michelangelo called the greatest ever made. A decade after their rediscovery, gilded replicas now gleam at BYU, with an origin story rivaling the original's, according to KSL's Deseret Magazine.

The article traces how these Renaissance masterpiece casts — duplicates of the Florence Baptistry doors — traveled from Italy to the Pacific and eventually to Provo. The installation represents a major cultural acquisition for the university's permanent collection, bringing one of art history's most celebrated works to Utah in replica form.

Read the full story at KSL

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