The magic of the Neapolitan nativity scene conquers Las Vegas and Paris. An authentic masterpiece of nativity scene craftsmanship was created by Ulderico Pinfildi, master of Neapolitan art, for a private residence in the city of Nevada, at the request of an American art collector.
Already author of the crib Caravaggio-esque of the Pio Monte della Misericordia in Naples and that of the Church of the Gesù in Rome, Pinfildi has recently also enriched the Nativity exhibited at the Hotel Bristol in Paris, an elegant structure located near the Elysée, at the request of the owner, Elvira Oekter.
The most ambitious work, however, is the one flown overseas to decorate a spectacular Christmas scene in Las Vegas. Composed of 250 figures, 50 animals and 50 angels triumphing over a 7-meter fir tree at the center of the representation, this unique creation was inspired by the installation of the Metropolitan Museum of New York, which every year displays a Neapolitan nativity scene around its Christmas tree.
The collector, fascinated by the seventeenth- and eighteenth-century tradition of Neapolitan nativity scene art, undertook a trip to Italy, exploring the workshops of Spaccanapoli and admiring the works of Pinfildi in the famous via San Biagio dei Librai.
From this experience a two-year project was born, concluded close to Christmas 2024. The complex installation was transported to Nevada inside a container and assembled under the direct supervision of the artist, in a scenographic space measuring 6,5 by 4,5 meters.
Among the main scenes, representations inspired by Veronese's paintings stand out, such as The Wedding at Cana, much loved by the client, together with popular characters from Neapolitan tradition, the Three Wise Men dressed in gold, an Ottoman band and Circassian princes.
A true kaleidoscope of Neapolitan life, art and culture that continues to fascinate the entire world.
Article published on 18 December 2024 - 19:04
