Chapter II. Defining Nativity Art: More Than Making Nativity Scenes

The Need for a Fair Definition

In the previous chapter, we reflected on how language shapes our way of perceiving the world. We suggested that the term nativity art is not just a technical expression, but a key that opens the door to understanding a universal cultural tradition from a deep and respectful perspective.

Before turning to external definitions in books, encyclopedias, or online sources, there is an essential preliminary step: clearly distinguishing what we mean by “Nativity scene” and what we mean by “Nativity art”.

This distinction is more than a simple semantic nuance; it is the starting point to avoid conceptual misunderstandings that have accompanied this tradition for centuries.

Only from a solid foundation can we undertake the search for a sound, conceptually rigorous, and coherent definition that represents nativity art in all its dimensions. Furthermore, this definition is essential to give meaning and clarity to the term “nativity art” in the multilingual versions of this manual, since in most languages there is no equivalent term. It will therefore serve as a conceptual guide for international readers to fully understand what we mean.

Nativity Scenes and Nativity Art: A Necessary Distinction Before Seeking a Definition

Nativity Scene: The Material Work, the Tangible Result

When we speak of a Nativity scene —also called crèche or manger scene— we refer to the visible result of a creative staging process. It is the final work that the viewer can contemplate, intended to commemorate the infancy of Jesus of Nazareth through an explicit representation or to evoke its meaning through suggestive forms and framing.

We explore this scenographic dimension —where framing and artistic intent are key— in the article: Nativity Scene Scenography: Single-view or multi-view Nativity scenes: two ways to represent the Nativity.

In all cases, the Nativity scene is a material work that occupies a specific space and time: the “finished work”, visible to all.

But to understand it only as an object would be insufficient. The Nativity scene by itself does not explain the artistic, cultural, and spiritual framework that gives rise to it. And this is where a broader and deeper concept comes into play: nativity art.

Nativity Art: Art, Culture, and Community in the Service of Universal Values

Nativity art is not an object, but an artistic, cultural, and community-based discipline. It is the name we give to the activity, the know-how, and the tradition that bring the Nativity scene to life as a finished work.

Nativity art is much more than an artistic tradition: it is a creative language that brings people and skills together to tell stories that resonate with universal values. Traditionally focused on the birth of Jesus of Nazareth and its iconographic cycle, today it is open to conveying, through each scene, essential values such as solidarity, fraternity, hope, and hospitality, which are more necessary than ever. Each Nativity scene, regardless of its aesthetic or specific message, is essentially an invitation to live and share those values in our daily lives.

Ultimately, the message conveyed by nativity art can be shared by everyone, whether believers or not. For some, it is the expression of the mystery of Christ’s birth; for others, it is a cultural tradition that symbolizes the spirit of Christmas. In any of its forms, it reminds us that these values are the common heritage of humanity.

1. What Is Meant by “Artistic Discipline”?

The expression “artistic discipline” refers to a specific branch within the broad field of art, governed by its own principles, techniques, materials, forms of expression, and conventions. Each discipline has its own rules and methodologies that set it apart from others.

We can imagine it like the different subjects in an art school: studying painting is not the same as studying sculpture, music, or dance, even though all are artistic expressions. Each has its own tools, language, and history.

Examples of artistic disciplines include:

• Visual arts: Painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, photography, video art, installation.
• Performing arts: Dance, theatre, opera, circus.
• Musical arts: Composition, instrumental performance, singing.
• Literary arts: Poetry, narrative, playwriting.
• Applied arts and design: Graphic design, industrial design, architecture, ceramics, goldsmithing.

Mastering a discipline involves not only technical skill but also knowledge of its history, theoretical foundations, and expressive possibilities.

Connection to the Concept of “Nativity Art”

Understanding what an artistic discipline is helps explain why the term nativity art does not arise arbitrarily. It follows the logic of naming a consolidated practice, with its own techniques, documented history, and a body of knowledge that supports it. This conceptual clarity will be key when we analyze how other cultures have defined it — or if they have at all.

2. The Suffix “-ism” in “Nativity Art”

The suffix “-ism” —from Latin -ismus and Greek -ισμός (-ismós)— is used to form nouns that designate doctrines, systems, movements, or ways of doing with their own distinctive features.

Examples:

• Interior design (Interiorism): discipline that designs and organizes interior spaces with aesthetic, functional, and technical criteria.
• Landscape architecture (Landscapeism): art of planning and creating outdoor environments, integrating botany, ecology, art history, and architecture.
• Window display design (Visual Merchandising): creation of shop windows applying principles of composition, lighting, and visual storytelling.
• Documentalism: practice aimed at recording and interpreting reality objectively or creatively, or the discipline of document management.
• Model making (Modelism): art of conceiving, building, and representing models, scale models, and figures for study, experimentation, exhibition, or aesthetic recreation.

In all these cases, the suffix “-ism” indicates a recognized practice with tradition, methodology, and defined objectives.

Nativity art is not an object — it is a way of making art

Unlike the nativity scene, which is a tangible work, nativity art is a way of creating art that encompasses:

• The sculptural creation of figures.
• The scenic design of landscapes and architectures, incorporating principles of interior design and lighting when the scene requires it.
• The crafting of props and accessories.
• Historical and artistic research on the nativity scene.
• The cultural, spiritual, and liturgical experience of this tradition.

A collective work: the participants in nativity art

Nativity art is a collective discipline. Behind every nativity scene—whether sculptural or live—there is a group of people whose skills and specialisations make the final work possible.

• Sculptors
  Create the original figures, defining not only their physical features but also their body language, clothing, and emotional expression. They bring to life the characters that form the visual soul of the scene.
• Live actors
  Perform in live or theatrical nativity scenes, following a characterisation and artistic direction that integrates them into the visual narrative. Like sculpted figures, they convey emotions and attitudes that sustain the story. This type of representation was, in fact, the beginning of nativity art, with Saint Francis of Assisi’s nativity in Greccio (1223).
• Artisans or executants
  Reproduce, when necessary, the figures designed by the sculptor. They faithfully follow the original model, ensuring artistic coherence across all pieces.
• Prop artisans
  Craft props: objects, tools, and accessories that enrich the scenography. From a clay jug to a full cart, each piece helps build the narrative context.
• Nativity makers or scene designers
  Design and arrange the scenic space, organising figures, props, landscapes, and architectures. In a sculptural nativity, they take care of perspective and lighting; in a live nativity, they also coordinate actors’ movements and the use of props.

In a sculptural nativity, these roles work in a creative chain that culminates in a tangible, static work: the nativity scene.
In a live nativity, the interaction is more dynamic: decisions about scenography, props, and artistic direction are combined with the actors’ performances, resulting in a living, constantly evolving experience.

But nativity art does not end in the workshop. There are other essential participants:

• Scholars: Researchers who delve into the history, ethnography, symbolism, and evolution of the nativity scene.
• Collectors: Private custodians of works who keep the tradition alive.
• Curators: Responsible for preserving, documenting, and exhibiting nativity heritage in museums or exhibitions.
• Promoters: Individuals who, regardless of their profile (sculptors, collectors, scholars, artisans, etc.), dedicate part of their activity to spreading and promoting the nativity tradition through media, magazines, social networks, educational workshops, publications, exhibitions, or digital projects.

Nativity art: beyond the object, a living tradition

Ultimately, nativity art is activity, knowledge, and cultural transmission that brings the nativity scene to life as an artistic work. It encompasses creators, researchers, and promoters who ensure its continuity and evolution.

In search of a definition for “Nativity Art”

In the previous chapter, we reflected on the peculiarity of a term that, despite being so specific and rich in meaning, hardly exists beyond the Spanish and Catalan languages.

In Spanish, “Belenismo” o “Pesebrismo” its inclusion in the dictionary is recent (2014). In Catalan, “pessebrisme” has documented use since 1805, although within a very specific cultural context.

In other languages such as English, French, German, or Italian, there is no established equivalent term, and so each language has adopted its own way of referring to this discipline.

This raises an essential question:

To build a solid and fair definition, it is necessary to observe how other cultures interpret it. For this reason, before proposing our own definition, we will conduct a meticulous search in dictionaries, association websites, press articles, specialized blogs, and forums.

Why Defining Nativity Art Is Essential

This manual is presented as a guide to nativity art, available in six languages. Therefore, it is essential to provide a precise, broad, and representative definition. This is not a mere academic exercise: it is the guarantee that any reader, regardless of language, can understand the true scope of this tradition.

Nativity art is not just a hobby or an anecdotal term. It is a word loaded with tradition, art, culture, and symbolism, which has often been defined superficially or inaccurately.

It is not possible to build a serious manual without first clarifying the meaning of its central concept.

The definition proposed here is not intended to be immutable. Nativity art, as an artistic, cultural, and community discipline, is constantly evolving, and any definition must leave room for reflection, experience, and dialogue.

Therefore, if upon reading this proposal you feel there are nuances or contributions that could enrich it, I invite you to share them. This manual is conceived as a living work, in continuous construction.

Furthermore, I have decided that this Nativity Art Manual will be accessible worldwide and free of charge. As Confucius once said, “Education should be without class discrimination.” This initiative seeks to embody that ideal, democratizing access to knowledge and fostering the community spirit that characterizes nativity art.

This is my grain of sand in the hourglass of nativity art. Or perhaps, more accurately, the search for more grains so that others may add theirs as well, thus ensuring the continuity of this tradition. Three specific grains I am already contributing are:

1. Sharing this content altruistically, in six languages, so that anyone can learn or delve deeper freely.
2. Continuing to sculpt and paint terracotta figures, keeping alive the sculptural tradition of the nativity workshop.
3. Pioneering the digital forefront of nativity art: after publicly presenting the first nativity figures modeled in 3D and printed in resin, I am exploring the possibility of developing the first interactive nativity scenes. Technological innovation does not compete with tradition: it can be a vehicle to ensure its continuity and evolution.

What we found when searching for “Nativity art”

What did we look for?

We consulted sources in six languages: Spanish, Catalan, English, German, French, and Italian, with special focus on:

1. Online dictionaries and encyclopedias: to check if there is an academic definition describing it as a cultural or artistic discipline.
2. Specialized books and publications: in print or digital format, offering a broader conceptual development.
3. Nativity associations’ websites: to see how they define their activity and whether there is an international consensus.
4. Blogs and media: to observe if it is presented as a discipline or simply as a Christmas activity.
5. Forums and communities: to understand the perception among practitioners and enthusiasts.
6. Official documents: heritage declarations or cultural regulations that define it formally.

A reminder about the terminological search

In the previous chapter, we already reviewed the term “nativity art” —and its equivalents in Spanish “belenismo” or “pesebrismo”, and in Catalan “pessebrisme”— in the six main languages of this manual. We noted that:

• In Spanish, the RAE defines “belenismo” as: “Arte de los belenes o afición a ellos” (“The art of nativity scenes or an interest in them”), and “pesebrismo” in equivalent terms. ^[1]
• In Catalan, the IEC records “pessebrisme” as: “Art de construir pessebres” (“The art of building nativity scenes”). ^[2]
• In French, German, Italian, and English there is no specific, lexicalized term that fully encompasses the practice. ^{[3] [4] [5] [6]}

This confirms that only in the Spanish-speaking world —and partially in Catalan— does a specific word exist. Even so, the official definitions are limited.

Why do they fall short?

RAE and IEC use the word “art”, acknowledging that nativity art goes beyond mere handicraft. However, they do not explain what that art involves: a process that combines sculpture, scenography, visual composition, historical research, and cultural transmission.

Reducing it to a physical object or a personal hobby omits:

• Its collective and community dimension.
• Its heritage and ethnographic value.
• Its symbolic and spiritual meaning.
• Its ability to adapt to new forms of expression.

Consequently, these definitions do not reflect the richness or depth of nativity art as an artistic, cultural, and community manifestation.

1. The Terminological Gap in Official Encyclopedias

Encyclopedias do more than record words: they are cultural references that indicate which practices and disciplines deserve to be studied and preserved. The absence of a broad definition of nativity art reflects its limited visibility in the international academic field.

The National Library of Spain ^[7], in its guide to reference works, notes that the Internet has transformed the traditional concept of the encyclopedia, making the user an active agent in knowledge creation. In the section “Encyclopedias on the Internet” it states:

    Encyclopedias on the Internet
The world of the Internet has broken with the tradition of knowledge imposed by a majority of scholars, typical of traditional encyclopedias, and has required the individual to be an active participant, producer, and manager of information. Despite having detractors, Wikipedia “is the Reference Work on the Web” due to its great potential: free content, no legal restrictions on its use, speed of access, collaborative work, and constant updating.

After consulting the main encyclopedias in Spanish, Catalan, English, French, German, and Italian, the result is clear: there is no broad and recognized academic definition of nativity art as an artistic, cultural, community, and spiritual manifestation that carries humanitarian values.

Encyclopedias in Spanish and Catalan

In Spanish, neither the Enciclopædia Herder nor the digital resources of the National Library of Spain include the entry “belenismo”.

In Catalan, the Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana (GEC) includes the term “pessebrisme” as “art de construir pessebres” (“art of building nativity scenes”). The entry briefly mentions the historical context and the existence of associations, but does not develop the concept as a cultural discipline with its own identity.

Encyclopedias in Italian, French, German and English

In German, public encyclopedias do not provide a term equivalent to “nativity art”. “Weihnachtskrippe” refers only to the physical object. In specialized contexts, the term “Krippenkunst” (nativity art) appears, but it has no official recognition as an autonomous discipline.

In English, the Encyclopaedia Britannica describes the “Nativity scene” (or “Crèche”) as a three-dimensional representation of the Nativity, without any reference to the cultural practice as a whole.

In French, the Encyclopédie Larousse mentions the “crèche de Noël” in a generic way, without addressing its artistic or heritage dimension.

In Italian, the Enciclopedia Treccani defines “presepe” as a plastic representation of the Nativity, with no “presepismo” term to conceptualize the practice.

Conclusion: A universal practice without a universal definition

Although nativity art is a tradition present in many cultures, it lacks a consolidated term and definition at the academic level outside the Spanish- and Catalan-speaking spheres. Where it does exist, its definition is brief and limited, hindering its recognition as a cultural expression on par with other traditional arts.

The search on Wikipedias: a striking gap

In the English, French, German, Italian, and Catalan versions of Wikipedia, there is no specific entry for “belenismo” or “pesebrismo”. Instead, terms focused on the object itself are used (Nativity scene, presepe, crèche, Weihnachtskrippe) rather than the cultural practice behind it.

Wikipedia in Spanish

There is an entry titled “Belenismo” ^[14], but it contains major limitations and factual errors. For instance, it claims the term is not listed in the RAE dictionary, when in fact it was incorporated in the 2014 edition. We will examine it later, as it deserves a separate discussion.

Wikipedia in English

There is no page titled “belenismo” nor any lexicalized equivalent ^[15]. The topic is addressed in the “Nativity scene” entry, which describes the physical object (the Nativity scene or crèche) but does not conceptualize the practice as a cultural or artistic discipline.

Wikipedia in French

No specific entry was found using a dedicated term for the practice. The tradition appears under “crèche de Noël” ^[16], always referring to the object rather than the cultural or artistic activity.

Wikipedia in German

There is no entry for a cultural equivalent term. Only “Weihnachtskrippe” ^[17] exists, meaning Christmas crib as a physical object, not as a discipline or art form.

Wikipedia in Italian

No equivalent term to “belenismo” appears. The entry “Presepe” ^[18] describes the object and its historical origin, but never the practice itself as an independent cultural discipline.

Wikipedia in Catalan

There is no page titled “pessebrisme”; this term either redirects or is absent. What does appear extensively is the entry “Pessebre” ^[19], which defines the object rather than the practice.

Conclusion

In none of the five languages is there a lexicalized term that names the cultural practice of Nativity scene making. Only in Spanish does a neologism (“belenismo”) exist, though poorly documented. In Catalan, “pessebrisme” is occasionally used in popular contexts, but has no formal presence on Wikipedia.

This gap shows that, outside the Spanish-Catalan sphere, the practice exists without its own name. It is not recognized as an artistic discipline, nor does it appear in dictionaries or reference encyclopedias. This reinforces the need to provide a clear, translatable conceptual definition that can represent this tradition in international contexts.

The Wikipedia case: apparent authority, limited information

Wikipedia is the most widely used reference source worldwide and, as such, acts as a mirror that amplifies both the strengths and the flaws in knowledge transmission. Its treatment of the term “belenismo” is a paradigmatic example of how misinformation, negligence, and imprecision can be magnified on a global scale.

The Spanish-language Wikipedia has a strategic advantage: the term Belenismo as an entry. However, upon accessing it, the content focuses on the Nativity scene as an object, not on belenismo as an artistic, cultural, and community practice. This creates a distortion: the title promises a discipline, yet the content delivers a series of inconsistencies, omissions, and biases that are particularly striking to anyone familiar with the Nativity scene tradition.

Paradoxically, the title seems chosen to exploit the uniqueness of the term belenismo—far less ambiguous than “belén”, which can refer to a city, a capital, a municipality, or even the first name of many famous women. However, neither the term “pesebre” nor “pesebrismo” (used in Catalan as pessebrisme) are included or linked, despite documented use in the RAE and their potential to offer a broader, more inclusive view of the tradition. This omission is difficult to explain and deprives the reader of an essential terminological bridge.

The fundamental error: outdated documentation and conceptual confusion

The Spanish version of Wikipedia claims that “belenismo” is not included in the Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE), referring only to “belenista” and then listing other terms related to the physical object (belén, nacimiento, pesebre, portal, pasito).

However, this information is incorrect: since the 23rd edition of the Diccionario de la Lengua Española (published in 2014), the term “belenismo” has been included and defined as “Art of nativity scenes or fondness for them”. The same edition also recognizes “pesebrismo” with an equivalent meaning. Therefore, the Wikipedia entry conveys a false statement that could have been avoided by consulting the very source it cites. It is particularly striking that, despite relying on the edition that incorporated the term, the article omits precisely the word that gives its own URL its title. An omission that hardly seems accidental, but rather significant.

Heritage recognition: it omits that in Spain, belenismo was declared a Representative Manifestation of Intangible Cultural Heritage by Royal Decree 481/2022, of June 14 (BOE-A-2022-9969). The absence of this information removes important cultural context.

Biased definition and article “Lingua franca” ^[21]

The text relies on a restrictive definition of the “nativity scene” (historicist in origin), which is incompatible with the breadth of how we understand art and the applied arts today (set design, installation, new technologies, etc.). It also introduces editorial opinions without attribution, such as the phrase: “We will see how this ‘idealistic’ definition does not quite fit popular practice,” which breaks encyclopedic neutrality and projects the writer’s point of view instead of citing academic voices.

Imprecise and normative classifications

The typology presented mixes criteria (presentation, technique, style, function) without defining them rigorously or using comparative sources. Examples such as “popular nativity” or “artistic nativity” are given without explaining the parameters for distinction or their current relevance, and are accompanied by implicit prescriptions about “what a nativity should be” instead of describing the real diversity of practices (biblical, by author, regional, period, contemporary, figurative, abstract, digital, protest-themed, living, interactive).

Significant omissions

Key references are missing: there is no definition of belenista (recognized by the RAE), nor is there mention of the Federación Española de Belenistas (FEB), founded in 1963 and bringing together around 80 associations in Spain with the aim of promoting and disseminating the art of belenismo. These omissions strip away context and disconnect the entry from essential organizational and terminological realities.

There is also no mention of relevant nativity makers, sculptors, or set designers, even though in other language versions of Wikipedia (Catalan, Italian, French, German, and English) they do appear. This absence contributes to an incomplete view of belenismo as an artistic, cultural, and community discipline.

Incoherent time leap (14th → 18th → 15th century)

• The text jumps from “From the 14th century” (Franciscan expansion) → 18th century (Charles VII of Naples) → and then “From the 15th century” without a logical transition.
• This order is not linear and confuses the reader. The correct chronological sequence would be: 14th → 15th → 16th → 17th → 18th → 19th century, etc.

Doubtful or unsupported facts

• 1465 Paris, first nativity figurine manufacturing company: No clear documentary evidence for this exact date.
• 1471 Alcorcón, first nativity workshop in the Iberian Peninsula: No known academic sources to confirm it.
• 1501 English influences: No details on what these were or how they arrived.
• 1475 Republic of Siena, nativity figurines: Requires historical verification.
• 1479 Portugal, first factory in Lisbon burned down in 1835 by “martinists”: Lacks historical context for “martinists” and there are no solid records of this event.
• Bethelem Ban (1601): No academic evidence or official documents support it; it is a serious hoax, a slander, an unfounded claim. We analyze it in The Amades Case: The mystery of the omissions

Geographical and Cultural Inconsistency

The text mixes information from Spain, Italy, England, Portugal, and the Americas in a non-linear way, without clearly separating when and where events occur, or how they influence each other.

Lack of Cross-References

The English ^[22] and Italian ^[23] articles place Greccio within a cleaner and shorter narrative, mentioning artistic precedents before the Franciscan event, which provides a more coherent storyline.

The Spanish version adds many scattered facts, some possibly false, which hinder understanding and create impossible timelines.

By combining an inadequate title, factual errors, heritage omissions, biased definitions, weak classifications, significant omissions, and chronological inconsistencies, the current entry presents an impoverished view of belenismo and reduces it to mere seasonal decoration.

Consequence

When “truth” becomes the standard

In the digital age, the constant repetition of a piece of information —whether correct or not— elevates it to the status of accepted truth. Thus, an initial error in a high-impact source like Wikipedia not only persists, but is reinforced when cited by other media, blogs, academic publications, and even official bodies that, paradoxically, could correct it.

In the case of belenismo, the consequence is twofold: on one hand, it conveys a partial and impoverished image of this discipline; on the other, it legitimizes a narrative that omits its artistic complexity, heritage dimension, and organizational reality. What begins as an editorial oversight becomes, over time, a reference framework that is difficult to dismantle.

The problem is not only the lack of rigor in a collaborative encyclopedia, but also the chain reaction it triggers. If the most consulted “window” by the public offers an incomplete landscape, how can an outsider guess that behind the Christmas nativity scene lies a centuries-old history, a network of associations, and a technical-artistic repertoire comparable to that of other recognized disciplines?

An example of uncritical replication: the case of Catholic.net

The influence of Wikipedia is reflected in large-scale portals that, instead of producing their own content, reproduce its texts almost verbatim. A telling example is the page What is belenismo? published on Catholic.net, where the definition and approach are practically identical to those in the Spanish Wikipedia entry, repeating the same omissions and conceptual errors.

This phenomenon not only perpetuates inaccuracies, but legitimizes them by presenting them in a medium with an image of moral and cultural authority. The result is a cycle of misinformation: a partial text becomes a “source” for third parties, who amplify and disseminate it without any verification.

The chain of “borrowed authority”

This case reflects a broader phenomenon: the circulation of content without independent verification. Wikipedia, due to its accessibility and apparent neutrality, has become a quarry of texts that other portals reproduce without question, thus granting them “borrowed authority.”

In the case of belenismo, this dynamic is particularly harmful: an article with factual errors, significant omissions, and definitional biases ends up multiplying across association websites, personal blogs, social networks, and even institutional or religious media. With each replication, the possibility of correction decreases and the flawed version gains legitimacy.

This process of copying without analysis reinforces the homogenization of discourse, where a single —incomplete or inaccurate— vision eclipses the diversity of approaches and documented sources that do exist. As a result, debate is impoverished and the perception of belenismo as an artistic, cultural, and community discipline that conveys spiritual and humanitarian values with its own identity is weakened.

In another chapter of this manual, I already warned that many ideas, even if inaccurate, become consolidated simply because no one questions them. Constant repetition eventually gives them an appearance of truth, until they become almost impossible to dismantle. Philosopher Hannah Arendt ^[24] analyzed this mechanism in The Banality of Evil ^[25], noting that even the most distorted concepts can be accepted without reflection when they become embedded in public discourse. Although her study addressed a much graver context, the principle is the same: a repeated idea, left unchallenged, ends up shaping how we understand reality.

This review is not intended to discredit Wikipedia or its contributors, but to draw attention to the need to update and expand its content on belenismo. An open encyclopedia has the potential to be a reliable reference if it incorporates the voices, sources, and perspectives that fairly and respectfully reflect the richness of this artistic, cultural, and social tradition.

No alternative: either renew Nativity scene art or relegate it to a mere Christmas decoration.

The future of this discipline depends on our willingness to evolve.

The problem of a narrow view of Nativity scene art

For centuries, Nativity scene art has been an artistic, cultural, and artisanal discipline with sculptors, regional schools, specific techniques, and a rich historical and ethnographic heritage.

However, today many people —including Wikipedia editors— fail to see the problem because their frame of reference is only personal experience: a Nativity scene at home, in a square, as a Christmas ornament, or as a craft without artistic criteria, comparable to wiring a switch and a light bulb.

This view fails to distinguish between:

• Sculptural Nativity scene art (original work by sculptor-artists).
• Artisanal work (reproduction and props).
• Scenographic design and construction:
  • In the sculptural Nativity scene, it includes planning and creating the setting, spaces, perspective, and artistic lighting.
  • In the living Nativity, it involves stage direction and the work of a staging team responsible for coordinating actors, costumes, props, and technical resources to ensure narrative and aesthetic coherence.

This incomplete vision leads to:

1. Omitting key figures such as Luisa Roldán, Francisco Salzillo, Ramon Amadeu, Damià Campeny, Agapit i Venanci Vallmitjana, Domènec Talarn, Giuseppe Sanmartino, Arnolfo di Cambio, Francesco Celebrano, Gustel Hertling, etc.
2. Confusing technical terms, perpetuating errors (“assembly” vs. “construction”).
3. Failing to acknowledge its heritage value and its role in art history.

Inaction and “Gatekeeping” of Information on Wikipedia

In recent years, no one has taken on the task of correcting or updating the Nativity Scene entry on Wikipedia, nor of creating its equivalents in other languages. This stagnation has turned the page into a form of informational gatekeeping: ^[26] deciding what is included and what is omitted, a filter that—by omitting key facts and keeping errors—limits the understanding of nativity art and relegates it in the public imagination to a mere Christmas ornament, instead of the artistic, cultural, and community expression it truly is.

There is no alternative: the only solution is to take action. For now, I cannot take on this task due to professional commitments that require all my attention, but if by mid-November no one has stepped up, I will lead the update of the entry and the creation of its versions in other languages.

🕯  Nativity Scene Project on Wikipedias

Revolutionize Nativity Art: From Complaint to Creation

No more excuses: problem detected, solution found, take action and share it.

To improve the Nativity Scene entry on Wikipedia, two threads have been opened on the article’s talk page:

1. Proposal to Review and Update the Nativity Scene Entry – Diagnosis of problems and omissions detected.
   View thread on Wikipedia
2. Proposal for a New Structure for the Nativity Scene Entry – Suggested outline with reorganized sections and initial sources.
   View thread on Wikipedia