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UnknownLarge Neapolitan 19th Century Hardwood Sculpture of a Crèche Camel.1890s
1890s
About the Item
Large, Neapolitan, late 19th Century hardwood sculpture of a camel. Artist unknown.
A beautifully patinated hardwood sculpture. The sculpture is extremely charming and having been handled for over a century has a lovely warm and tactile patina. It is particularly nice too see the work of the craftsperson in the adze and chisel marks along the body of the sculpture. The Italians and most notably the area around Naples has a long and storied tradition in the creation of sculptures for Nativity Scenes. This camel is both an endearing item and a piece of social history.
A wonderful addition in its own right to the traditional Christmas scene, by tradition this sculpture was used as a maquette for the production of papier-maché models used in Christmas Creches which have such a long tradition in Italy and throughout the world. Wonderfully carved this piece was used to create hollow models out of papier-maché which were more affordable for this Christmas tradition. Hundreds of strips of papier-maché would be layered onto the figure in all directions. Then using a sharp tool the papier-maché was pushed into all the crevices of the sculpture to give it crisp detail. Once the layers of paper were dry the papier-maché was cut at certain points and lifted off the sculpture. Then finally the resulting body parts were glued back together, painted and patinated ready to be placed in the crèche scene.
In the Christian tradition, a nativity scene (also known as a manger scene, cribor, crèche, or in Italian presepio or presepe, or Bethlehem) is the special exhibition, particularly during the Christmas season, of art objects representing the birth of Jesus.
Other characters from the nativity story, such as shepherds, sheep, and angels may be displayed near the manger, as described in the Gospel of Luke. A donkey and an ox are typically depicted in the scene, and the Magi and their camels, described in the Gospel of Matthew, are also included. Many also include a representation of the Star of Bethlehem. Several cultures add other characters and objects that may or may not be Biblical.
Saint Francis of Assisi is credited with creating the first live nativity scene in 1223 in order to cultivate the worship of Christ. He himself had recently been inspired by his visit to the Holy Land, where he'd been shown Jesus' traditional birthplace. The scene's popularity inspired communities throughout Christian countries to stage similar exhibitions.
- Creation Year:1890s
- Dimensions:Height: 20.08 in (51 cm)Width: 19.3 in (49 cm)Depth: 5.52 in (14 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:Areas of old glue on the saddle. Some cracking commensurate with age.
- Gallery Location:Cotignac, FR
- Reference Number:Seller: GB/Camel1stDibs: LU1430212875072
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