Nativity Scene Figure; Neapolitan School; 18th... Lot 11

Nativity Scene Figure; Neapolitan School; 18th century. Terracotta and fabric. Provenance: private collection conceived since the 70's between London and Madrid. Measurements: 29 x 13 x 6,5 cm. Figurine made in terracotta that presents a male personage, bearded and dressed with elegant clothes. Due to its aesthetic characteristics, it is probable that the work was conceived to form part of a Nativity Scene. The Italian nativity scene is one of the most established Christmas traditions and has remained unchanged for centuries. The oldest is the one located in the church of Santa Maria del Mesebre in 1025, known only from documentary sources. Another of the oldest is that of Amalfi, from the 14th century. As early as the 15th century, Neapolitan sculptors specialised in the genre, and in the 16th century the first terracotta figures appeared in the crib made by Matteo Mastrogiudice, a nobleman from Sorrento. In the 17th century the Neapolitan crib became larger in its setting, and the figures multiplied; the characters were smaller and often made of wood. Finally, the 18th century was the Golden Age of the Nativity Scene in Naples, during the reign of Charles III. The figures multiplied, the narrative of the representation increased and we will see all kinds of profane elements, with representations of noble characters as well as shepherds, innkeepers, shopkeepers, etc.