_ The art of the Italian Presepe _ #Merry_Christmas ☆ #Buon_Natale posted by Gioia Hara Misyrlaki The art of reproducing the nativity scene is linked to an ancient tradition in Italy. Three cities are particularly famous for their presepi: Bologna, Genoa, and Naples. The Bolognese tradition dates back to the 13th century, and it is different from other nativity scenes realized in Italy because all characters are entirely hand carved, including their clothes. Various materials can be employed, from terracotta to paper, from wood to plaster, depending on the craftsman’s ability. The Genoese school of the nativity scene is well-established and prestigious as well, thanks to the accurate craftsmanship and precius materials, from wood to ceramic or paper, used to finish off the figures’ details such as clothes and faces. The golden era for the Genoese tradition was the 18th century, when reproductions of the cave in Bethlehem and the nativity characters weren’t hosted only in churches but also in the houses of nobles and bourgeois, causing the proliferation of shops specialized in the notching of Genoese wood. The Neapolitan nativity scene, traditionally set in the18th century Naples, is characterized by terracotta figures. Giuseppe Sammartino, perhaps the greatest Neapolitan sculptor of that time and well-known for his Cristo Velato, was very skillful in shaping terracotta figures, and he established a veritable school of artists. Most of the figures of the famous Presepe del Banco di Napoli have been made by him. Remarkable is the fact that in Neapolitan nativity scenes greater attention is placed outside the holy family group. Artists have always preferred to focus on secular elements as shepherds, street vendors, the magi, and animals. The Neapolitan sacred art is still alive and kicking, and its tradition is extremely popular in the city and in the whole Country during the Christmas holiday season.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 17:00:00 +0000
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