TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS CRIB IN EUROPE

Over the centuries, the Nativity scene was no longer only depicted live, as Saint Francis had done, but through the creation of terracotta statues, plaster sets, and a lot of papier-mâché. Artisans, especially ceramicists, specialized in creating true sculptures depicting the Holy Family, angels, the Magi, shepherds, and all the people who came to Bethlehem on Christmas Night to pay homage to the infant Jesus. The tradition of the Nativity scene developed further in the 16th century and reached its peak in the second half of the 17th century with the Baroque style, which emphasized space, scenery, and popular elements, promoting a religiosity that engaged the senses. In European convents of the time, particularly in Bavaria, Nativity scenes spread with an educational and religious function similar to theater. The first German Nativity scene was created by the Jesuits of Altötting in 1601. A notable example of a German convent Nativity scene is located in the Frauenwörth Abbey in Bavaria, composed of wooden figures dressed in real costumes. This Nativity scene inspired the Bavarian school of the 18th century, represented by excellent examples preserved in the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum in Munich.

In Italy, particularly in the 18th century, Neapolitan artistic workshops reached an astonishing peak. Nativity scenes were enriched with scenes of contemporary life: taverns with musicians and soldiers (to evoke Roman soldiers), various trades (the baker, the fishmonger, the carpenter), and the common people (washerwomen, beggars, children), dressed in clothes that were entirely anachronistic compared to the period described in the Gospels. However, the cost of each figurine and the time required to create the Nativity scene in every tiny detail meant that this tradition was mainly prevalent among the noble and wealthier classes of the country. Skilled artisans would work for months for a family commissioning large-scale sets, often occupying an entire room of a palace. Owning a Nativity scene was thus a sign not only of devotion but of wealth: an important and recognized status symbol, displayed on every public occasion. Neapolitan Nativity scenes became so famous that they were coveted in various European cities, especially at courts linked to the Spanish royal family and its possessions. For example, the Monastery of the Descalzas Reales in Valladolid, founded by Queen Margaret of Austria, exhibits a Neapolitan Nativity scene made up of twenty-four figures of unequal sizes. These are all mannequins with sculpted body parts and costumes made by the nuns, and include the Adoration of the Shepherds and the Magi, along with the scene of Jesus among the doctors.