Neapolitan Nativity Scene: The Art That Tells Naples in Miniature

With the arrival of8th December, as per tradition, the Christmas decorations come out of the attics and cellars and come back to life to create that unmistakable Christmas atmosphere that reigns every year in Neapolitan homes and beyond. The symbol par excellence of Christmas for Neapolitans is not the classic Christmas tree but the crib.

The latter, in fact, has enriched the homes of Neapolitans for years and years, but where does this ancient tradition come from? The very first to describe the Nativity were the evangelists Luke and Matthew. In their story, however, the image of what in the Middle Ages became the praesepium that is, the manger.

The nativity scene that we all know today, however, is close to the will of San Francesco d'Assisi, who had the idea of ​​reviving in one natural scenery the birth of baby Jesus in the now distant past 1223.

The history of the Neapolitan Nativity scene

In addition to the various types of miniature and bright Christmas village, which have been having so much success in recent years, stands out in the homes of Neapolitans during the Christmas holidays crib. The latter is a symbol of the Christmas tradition Neapolitan and boasts ancient origins dating back to the 13th century.

As anticipated, his birth is associated with San Francesco d'Assisi, In which 1223, during the Christmas mass in Greccio, introduced a representation of the Nativity with straw statues. However, it was in the 17th century that the Neapolitan nativity scene acquired the characteristics that make it unique: the sacred scene of the Nativity was inserted into a realistic and everyday context, populated by shepherds, artisans and glimpses of popular life, a symbol of the fusion between the sacred and the profane.

In the eighteenth century, this tradition reached its artistic peak thanks to masters such as Giuseppe Sanmartino and Antonio Vaccaro, authors of figures with an extraordinary realism, capable of recounting with minute details the popular world , spirituality. With the nineteenth century, the nativity scene also became the heritage of the lower classes, transforming itself into a real collective art form. Families began to create their own Christmas villages, using simple materials, such as paper and fabric, bringing the nativity scene into everyone's homes.

In course of the twentieth century, the Neapolitan nativity scene has continued to evolve, incorporating modern elements. Mechanical Christmas villages with moving figures, enriched by light and color effects or music, have begun to spread alongside the classic nativity scenes.

The traditional elements

Unlike miniature Christmas villages, which are usually characterised by purely Christmas scenarios, the Neapolitan nativity scene is characterised by many traditional elements, which together with the modern figures create a fascinating combination between history and contemporaneityAmong these, it is possible to mention:

• Merchants: in the Neapolitan nativity scene, the sellers represent the months of the year: butcher (January), cheese (February), poulterer (March), eggs (April), newlyweds with cherries (May), baker (June), tomatoes (July), watermelons (August), figs (September), wine seller (October), chestnuts (November) and fishmonger (December).
• The Three Wise Men: they symbolize the journey of the comet that announces the birth of the child. Coming from the East, they represent Europe, Africa and Asia, with a horse, a dromedary and an elephant. Although the Gospel does not specify their number, tradition considers them three, in relation to the gifts: gold, incense and myrrh.
• The washerwoman: it is a figure that recalls the midwives who participated in the miracle of the birth of Jesus and the purity of the Virgin. According to tradition, in fact, after having washed the newborn, she hangs out used clothes, which remain immaculate.
• The church and the crucifix: the presence of these two elements in the Neapolitan nativity scene underlines the anachronism of the scene, since the representation of the Nativity is set in the eighteenth century. These symbols place the holy family in a context that mixes Christian tradition with popular beliefs.
• The well: it is a symbol of connection between surface and underground waters, it is surrounded by numerous anecdotes and superstitions, which make it a feared place. A popular belief claimed that drawing water on Christmas night was dangerous, since it was thought that the water contained diabolical spirits capable of possessing anyone who drank it.
• The landscape: it is created strictly in cork and generally represents a mountain full of winding paths, full of shepherds who descend towards the cave. The latter, however, is always placed low and in the foreground so that everyone can see it. This arrangement has a very specific reason: it is necessary to descend into the darkness (hence the winding paths) before reaching the light, or rather, the rebirth represented by Jesus himself.

In addition to the traditional elements and characters, Neapolitans are used to making the nativity scene contemporary by introducing into it contemporary figures prominent: VIP, political o Sports which transform the nativity scene into something different and closer to the present day.