At Brigham Young University’s Museum of Art, a 17-foot-tall replica of Lorenzo Ghiberti’s “Gates of Paradise” towers over visitors who come to take in the gilded, historic work depicting stories from the Old Testament. Students like Hannah Moss spent nine months delicately applying countles s sheets of gold leaf to more than 10 panels to restore the replica.  Moss was one of many students to work on the project and one of hundreds to help move the replica to Brigham Young University, from the time the plasters arrived in Italy to when they were shipped to Provo about 10 years ago. The project started before Moss was ever a student at Brigham Young University and came to fruition at the start of this year. Moss is an art education major from Midway who is student teaching at Deer Creek High School. Before Moss’ professors tapped her for the project, Moss spent hours each week working in the Museum of Art gift shop.  While Moss enjoyed spending time in the museum before the project, she now celebrates helping restore one of the most compelling pieces of art in the space.  The “Gates of Paradise” replica at Brigham Young University in Provo is more than 17 feet tall. Credit: Photo courtesy of Brigham Young University “I didn’t see the full grandeur of the final product until they unveiled it in the museum,” Moss said. “A replica of such an incredible piece of art history right in front of me took my breath away.” And Moss didn’t grasp the extent of work required until she met with the fabrication team at the start of the project. She worked on several layers of plaster repair. Gold leaf was layered on, creating an opulent effect. Moss then applied a finishing pigment to make the piece feel “a little more authentic.” “This project was really interesting to me because I got to see several stages of the process,” Moss said.  The greatest challenge and most enjoyable part of the process was the same: The gold leafing. Moss said the technique was not something she was previously exposed to in the art education major at Brigham Young University.  Moss, for the most part, works as a 2D artist focusing on painting and drawing, but she enjoys trying out new mediums, skills and techniques. It’s something that fulfills and satisfies her in life, Moss said. Her student teaching placement at Deer Creek High School has her rooted in the 3D world with ceramics and sculpture.  “It’s just such a specific thing, and so I felt like it was a privilege to be able to be in a space where I was learning this skill,” Moss said. “Then also that comes with a lot of challenges because the gold leaf is so specific and kind of temperamental.” Countless layers of gold leaf were applied to the panels to create a more authentic, gilded look. Credit: Photo courtesy of Brigham Young University Moss said she had to make sure she used the gold leaf very carefully and avoided mistakes “at all costs.” It was a fun challenge, she said, but stressful at times. She worked to restore the replica full-time during the summer and part-time during the school year.  Along with Moss’ contribution, students spent an estimated 13,000 hours of work over the course of the decade-long restoration process.  Moss first learned about the “Gates of Paradise” as part of the basic curriculum of her art history classes.  “Just to have learned about it in my college education and then to be able to get my hands on them … like to be able to step into that role having just learned about them,” Moss said. “I was so eager when they invited me on as an art major myself.” Moss said she was thrilled to see the project develop over time.  “A piece of art like this in Provo is very unique,” Moss said.  There are fewer than a dozen replicas of Ghiberti’s “Gates of Paradise,” and fewer on display, according to Brigham Young University. The original work was created between 1425 and 1452. The panels made up the doors of the Florence Baptistery and molds were taken after World War II.  Brigham Young University Hawaii obtained one replica in the 1980s. Now, that replica is at home in Provo.  Hannah Moss said she first learned about the “Gates of Paradise” in art history class. Then, she was tapped to help work on the project. Credit: Photo courtesy of Brigham Young University The end result of the restoration, Moss said, connects to the roots of the original “Gates of Paradise.” Having it be gilded was an important part of making the replica more authentic. There’s texture and marks where the gold sheets overlap.  “I think that just really adds to the experience of seeing them up front that maybe a gold paint or other surfaces wouldn’t lend to as much,” Moss said.  Moss said it has been a joy to see how the community and students have interacted with the piece, which has been on display at the Museum of Art since February.  The full “Gates of Paradise” exhibition will be on display at the Brigham Young University Museum of Art until October.  The post How one BYU student helped bring the gilded ‘Gates of Paradise’ to life appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less