Spectacular crib reappears in Bishop Auckland for Christmas
Spectacular crib reappears in Bishop Auckland for Christmas
Of all the art treasures now gathered in Bishop Auckland as part of The Auckland Project, arguably none is as jaw dropping as the rare 18th Century Neapolitan Nativity.
It’s Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus amid a teeming mass of corporeal and celestial life. Forget the intimacy of the stable. This was a virgin birth in a carnival atmosphere.
The crib, which some call a crèche and in Italy is known as a presepe, is coming out of storage again as the centrepiece of the Christmas at the Palace experience (at Auckland Palace, formerly known as Auckland Castle).
Actually it will be located in the Faith Museum – still yet to open two years ago - and I promise it’s a wonderful spectacle.
Unique in this country, it was bought privately from a collector in Naples, the same person who in 2013 sold a similar one to the Art Institute of Chicago.
It’s thought it would have been commissioned originally for a grand private residence in Naples. It would have had to be grand. The piece, displayed in a special cabinet, is 11 feet tall and 15 feet wide.
As imagined in 1760s Naples, the nativity was a bustling affair and that’s what you’ll see here – a beautifully constructed tableau comprising 112 figures, 52 animals and 257 objects, all arranged on a rocky townscape with buildings, ruins and caves.
A blend of the sacred and the secular, it shows angels and cherubs looking down on mortals getting on with their lives, most seemingly unaware of the momentous event in their midst.
Around the great central story are many others, which is the fun of it. You’ll see a fox stalking doves on a roof. There’s even a boar hunt – disrespectful, you might think, but said to have been included by the artist to appease the monarch of the time.
One figure, shepherd Benino, is shown sleeping through it all. But he’s a significant figure in Italian folklore, said to be dreaming the scene we see before us. Children are told that if they wake him it’ll vanish instantly.
It takes a team of technicians weeks to reassemble the work, with large pieces of scenery installed before the figures – all skilfully made from iron wire, hemp, wood and terracotta – are carefully put in place.
This fabulous creation will open to the public on Friday, November 15 and be on display until Tuesday, December 31 as part of the new Christmas at the Palace attraction.
Also returning to Bishop Auckland this year (November 22 until December 31) is AGLOW, the Christmas light trail with 22 installations including some new for 2024.
For more information about the Neapolitan Nativity, Christmas at the Palace and AGLOW, and to book tickets, visit The Auckland Project website.