This is a slightly longer version of an article that appeared in the

November 2008 issue of href="http://www.dreamofitaly.com/public/10.cfm"> style="font-style: italic;">Dream of Italy:

I have always maintained a firm policy of staying out of those

year-round Christmas stores; even the one on Route 101 from Los Angeles

to Santa Barbara with the giant inflated Santa Claus flying over it was

no temptation for me.

This month, however, I went to the ultimate Christmas store, of sorts,

the Via

San Gregorio Armeno in style="font-style: italic;">Naples.

This narrow street in the center of the city (and near the 16th-century

Benedictine cloister of the same name) is lined with shops overflowing

with Christmas decorations.  My change of heart came about

when I read an article about Neapolitan artists who are making

contemporary political figures for traditional Italian nativity

scenes.  Only the idea of Nativity composed of style="font-style: italic;">Barack Obama, Hillary

Clinton and Italian President

Silvio

Berlusconi as the "ThreeWise

Men” could have gotten me to break my rules!

Historically, Italian nativity scenes varied greatly from region to

region.  The tradition in Naples – where in many

homes the presipio

(nativity scene) is still more important than the Christmas tree

– was to create a scene made up many different figures. In

addition to the traditional elements from the Bible, Neapolitan

nativities feature representations of everyday people going about their

daily lives – cooking meals, baking bread, even working in a

bar.

Today, a number of artists continue these centuries-old traditions, but

it is also possible to find contemporary twists on these old

crafts.  style="font-style: italic;">Genny Di Virgilio

in the shop of  style="font-style: italic;">Rosario e Gennaro Di

Virgilio specializes in

creating traditional nativity figures from style="font-style: italic;">terracotta.

These days, however, this young artist may be better known for his

figures of Obama, Clinton, Berlusconi and French President style="font-style: italic;">Nicholas Sarkozy.

Business has been quite brisk this fall; while I was in his shop, he

was, in fact, working on a new “batch” of Obama

figures (I bought four).  He sells the smaller Obama figures

for 30 euros but has larger figures of all the big names in the news

(including Michelle

Obama) which sell for 200

euros.

A few doors up the street, the craftsmen of another traditional shop, style="font-style: italic;">Giuseppe e Marco Ferrigno,

are also producing political figures. I think my favorite sight at this

shop was the scene with the figures of Berlusconi, style="font-style: italic;">Luciano Pavarotti and

a number of soccer players placed immediately next to a lovely large

figure of the Madonna rocking an empty crib. 

As I was taking all this in, I found myself eavesdropping on three

Italians who had stopped to look at this display. Since they had

suitcases, I assumed they were not from Naples, and they seemed as

fascinated as I was with the figures.  As I was straining to

understand their conversation, one of them pointed to the Obama figure

and aid, in perfect English “Yes, we

can.”   

I went home from my trip with two bags bulging from my

purchases.  In addition to my Obama and Berlusconi figures (I

decided my third Wise Man would be a traditional one), I bought some

small animal figures and a manger complete with the Babe. 

Not wanting the religious emphasis to completely take over my house,

however, I also bought several of the secular items including a

motion-sensitive style="font-style: italic;">Befana

(the witch of the Epiphany) who hangs from a swing and laughs somewhat

demonically when I clap my hands.  In fact, there was an

incredible assortment of these motion-sensor decorations and you could

hear the shop owners' hands clapping as I walked up and down

the street – along with tinny music and the “Ho,

Ho, Ho's” from the Santa Claus figures.

While I am not given to rushing the Christmas season, I have to admit

that it was hard to refrain from setting up my decorations as soon as I

returned to my apartment in Rome. I think Mr. Obama and Mr. Berlusconi

will feel quite at home here. I wonder who might be joining the

nativity next year.

--

Frances Kidd

The

Details

style="font-weight: bold;">Rosario e Gennaro Di

Virgilio

Via San Gregorio Armeno, 18/19/20

(39) 081 5524064

Giuseppe

e Marco Ferrigno

Via S. Gregorio Armeno, 8/10/12

(39) 081 5523148

www.arteferrigno.it

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