In 1425 Giovanni had good reasons to be jealous o Filippo, even
though he was himself an accomplished man, a respected humanist scholar
who had composed a famous philosophical treatise, the Paradiso degli Alherti.
Fowever, like Lorenzo he had thus far failed to make an impression in the
field of architecture. Filippo's model for the wooden chain had been
selected over one of his own, winning the capomaestro the very substantial
prize of 100 gold flonns. In the same year Filippo also won the
competition for the design of the castello. Meanwhile, of course, his ox-
hoist had been a great success and the sandstone chains, the second of
which was being laid in 1425, were working according to plan. Filippo's
reputation, in short, had never been better. To complete his triumphs, a
few months earlier Lorenzo Ghiberti had been suspended from his duties
as capomaestro, possibly because of Filippo's intrigue involving the wooden chain. He would be reinstated shortly afterwards, albeit with reduced
responsibilities and powers. The Ghiberti faction had reached its lowest
ebb.