Masterpieces of their craft

Naples is where Italy’s most beautiful nativity scenes have always been made. It’s a craft that combines true finesse and a long tradition, and it is unique: tiny hands draw upwards, luminous faces and figures appear alive. In the middle of the lively old town of Naples, Via San Gregorio Armeno is the beating heart of traditional crib making. Even though secular idols the likes of Diego Maradona have shown up in the meantime, walking around here catapults us back to a world that dedicated a significant amount of time to making gigantic nativity scenes and populating them with wonderful figures. Their attention to detail turned them into story telling landscapes before cinemas had even been dreamt of. As your eyes move over them, more and more little stories can be discovered. Even Goethe recounted the Neapolitans’ passion for nativity scenes that they decorated “with evergreen trees and shrubs”. Their lavish production  consumed vast sums of money.

The first nativity scenes appeared in the 15th century and soon developed into splendid landscapes made out of wood, marble and wax. In Goethe’s day, Neapolitan “pastorelli” were already much in demand with the different heads of the characters on moving manikins. A small industry emerged with specialists for different parts, which can still be marvelled at today along the city’s narrow streets where small armies of camels, sheep and angels can be found in shop windows. “Pastori” are all the minor characters, such as fishmongers or chestnut roasters. The hallmarks of Neapolitan craftsmanship remain the so-called “finimenti”: tiny extras such as animals, baskets of fruit and vegetables, cheese platters, and eggs, macaroni and sausages.