Description: This is a rare older Neapolitan Italian Creche figures. Made of Polychrome terracotta, multi colored painted.- Man Holding Flour Sacks - *He is missing a hand*We have a few other figures listed that are shown in the last photo. See our other listings if interested. These are rare!______________________________________________________ Rare late19th century hand molded 9.5” terracotta Neapolitan creche figure of watermelon seller The figures ranging in size from 8.5" to 12", each of them hand signed with different names - I wonder if that it's not an artist name, but might be names of actual depicted people? About Creche: Setting up a nativity scene—presepe in Italian —is a strong tradition in Naples, started as early as the 11th century. Statuettes range from classic nativity characters—the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, baby Jesus, the Three Wise Men—to figures of the Neapolitan tradition—the fisherman, the wine maker, etc. The business of making creche figures thrived in 18th-century Italy, where the wealthy competed with one another to see who could assemble the most elaborate, theatrical displays. It was not uncommon for the finest sculptors of the period to be commissioned to model the heads and shoulders of these figures. Many people were involved in fabricating the pieces, with one person making the head, while others created legs and the remainder of the body. Most faces are extremely expressive, showing great detail. The hands often were the most difficult feature to achieve. Nearly all the Neapolitan Italian figures were made from terracotta and polychrome, multi-colored paints. Examples of elaborately multi-figured Neapolitan presepi are highly prized assets of museums throughout Europe. But there are only three of them in America—at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, and the Chicago Art Institute. All these were purchased from collectors in Naples, the first two from the vast family museum of Eugenio Catello. ________________________________________________________________________________Please feel free to call us with any questions: (M-F 9-5pm eastern).We gladly accept PayPal.Please visit our Ebay store to see thousands of other great Church items.(CA57) *Warehouse*
Price: 180 USD
Location: Danbury, Connecticut
End Time: 2025-01-01T17:09:59.000Z
Shipping Cost: 35 USD
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Item Specifics
Restocking Fee: 20%
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
