Who’s Who in the Nativity Scene?

The Creative and Participatory Chain of Nativity Art

Nativity art is made possible by people and elements working together to keep this living tradition alive.

The same goes for the nativity. Before creating, commissioning or staging one, it’s important to know who is who and how each role connects. Only then can we speak with clarity, respect and understanding.

Many misunderstandings don’t come from bad intentions, but simply from not knowing what roles we play in the nativity world. Without this solid foundation, any discussion becomes shaky and confusing. So, this is probably where we should begin:

---

Between Holiday Decoration and Art

When nativity art becomes widespread and is reduced to a mere Christmas decoration, we lose sight of the unique value of each creation and the essence of its purpose. As often happens with popular traditions, we sometimes mix up terms, take things for granted, and assume concepts we’ve never truly questioned. Nativity art, because of its closeness and long history, is no exception.

• The nativity is reduced to a holiday ornament instead of being valued as a sculptural and scenic work meant to commemorate the birth of Jesus and convey its message.
• Terms, labels and “coded” concepts are used that confuse newcomers and even those of us who have been creating nativity scenes and figures for over 60 years.
• Innovations that challenge tradition are rejected or questioned, even when tradition is not always accurate or correct.

How can we ask for official or artistic recognition for nativity art if it’s still seen only as a Christmas custom or simple decoration?

So if you think nativity art is just a Christmas ornament, this entry and this manual might not be for you.
If you’ve never questioned it or still have doubts, you may want to read this chapter: Is nativity art really art?.
And if you’re convinced that nativity art is art, stay with us: what follows will interest you too.

---

The Nativity Map: Who’s Who?

The nativity scene doesn’t build itself. Behind every figure, every scene, and every emotional gaze, there’s a network of people who bring this tradition to life each Christmas.

In this manual, we’ll explore five essential groups that, from different areas, sustain the world of nativity art. Each plays a specific role in this creative chain, and together they form an interdependent system that deserves to be understood.

In the following chapters, we’ll learn in depth who they are, how they connect, and what role they play in this tradition. But first, let’s look at an overview to help us get oriented.

In some cases, one person may take on more than one role. For example, a creator who displays their own works in a personal nativity is not acting as a client, since they haven’t commissioned the pieces from someone else—they’re both author and scenographer.

The client can acquire a figure in two ways: directly from the sculptor — either by choosing from available pieces or by commissioning a personalized work — or through a shop or a vendor at a Christmas fair. Once in the client’s hands, the figure can be placed in a nativity scene or appreciated as a standalone piece with a life of its own, capable of moving us beyond cork and moss, depending also on its artistic intent and type of creation.

The one who contemplates that nativity scene — the viewer — ultimately completes the circle. They are not a passive element: every work of art finds its meaning in being observed, felt and remembered. Here we won’t analyze the viewer as such, but rather how the nativity is offered to their gaze: as an aesthetic, devotional or cultural experience.

We will also talk, in due time, about the three types of artistic creation that come together in the nativity: the figures, the props and accessories, and the scenography.