Nativity
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Authors
Stefano da Putignano
Date
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Image
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Keyword
Creche , Presepe , Nativity , Mary , Joseph
Alternative Title
Abstract
Originally located in the old Cathedral of Martina Franca, which has since been destroyed, this nativity scene is now placed on the side altar of the nave in the new Cathedral of Martina Franca in front of a 19th-century painting. Joseph is shown half-asleep, as described in some apocryphal gospels, as he was not the biological father of Jesus and therefore often marginalized and sometimes even mocked as a pathetic old man. This is not the case here, as Joseph's forms and rich drapery give him dignity, but he is less formal than Mary, who kneels on both knees gazing down at the baby Jesus with hands clasped in prayer. Mary's red dress and blue cloak are traditional, but the slits in her sleeves, with a white undershirt puffing outwards, reflect contemporary fashionable women's dress. An ox and ass poke their heads directly into the manger. Stories told of how even the beasts bowed to the holy baby, and how their breath warmed him in the cold manger, though these beasts seem more interested in eating. Some scholars have argued that the beasts are later, but the expert in Stefano da Putignano, Dr. Clara Gelao, argues after examining the work after a recent restoration that these are original. The Baby Jesus (wood) is not original to the work (which is made of painted stone). Recent restoration has revealed the well-preserved original polychromy. It is not clear whether this group was originally a part of a much more populous scene of Christ birth, set in a rough grotto, as can be seen in other Nativity scenes in the region. Photograph(s) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Description
Cathedral, Martina Franca
Citation
Clara Gelao, Stefano da Putignano ""virtuoso"" scultore del rinascimento (Bari: Mario Adda, 2020), 107-8; Clara Gelao, Stefano da Putignano nella scultura pugliese del rinascimento (Fasano di Brindisi: Schena, 1990), cat. 43, p. 126.