February 28, 2026 – September 6, 2026
Dechant 1 Gallery
In the 16th century, when crafting Nativity scenes, St. Cajetan began to include figures that represented the customs and daily lives of local people of Neapolitan society. King Charles III of Spain, who ruled the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily from 1735 to 1759, took an interest in these Nativity scenes. As a result, the display of crèches was no longer restricted to the Church and clergy and assumed wider popularity with the laity. Consequently, a sort of “competition” for the most beautiful crèche with the richest ornamentation and largest number of figures exploded in the court of Naples.
This Neapolitan crèche was put together specifically for the 2014 exhibition Buon Natale: Crèches of Italy. It was created by Bottega d’arte presepiale Cantone & Costabile, a family-owned business in Naples that continues to make Neapolitan crèche figures using the same techniques and methods as artisans of the 18th century. This Neapolitan is on exhibit alongside additional pieces by Cantone & Costabile.