METROPOLITAN MUSEUM'S CHRISTMAS TREE AND NEAPLOITAN CRECHE ON DISPLAY THE HOLIDAYS

THE CHRISTMAS TREE AND NEAPOLITAN BAROQUE CRECHE AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK, A LONG ESTABLISHED YULETIDE TRADITION IN NEW YORK, WILL BE ON VIEW FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON FROM 24.NOVEMBER THROUGH 6.JANUARY.2010. THE BRIGHTLY LIT, 20 FOOT BLUE SPRUCE, WITH A STUNNING COLLECTION OF 18th CENTURY NEAPOLITAN ANGELS AND CHERUBS AND GROUPS OF REALISTIC CRECHE FIGURES FLANKING THE NATIVITY SCENE AT ITS BASE, WILL ONCE AGAIN DELIGHT HOLIDAY VISITORS IN THE MUSEUM'S MEDIEVAL SCULPTURE HALL. SET IN FRONT OF THE 18th CENTURY SPANISH CHOIR SCREEN FROM THE CATHEDRAL OF VALLADOLID, WITH RECORDED CHRISTMAS MUSIC IN THE BACKGROUND AND DAILY LIGHTING CEREMONIES, THE INSTALLATION REFLECTS THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS DISPLAY IS THE RESULT OF THE GENEROSITY, ENTHUSIASM AND DEDICATION OF THE LATE LORETTA HINES HOWARD, WHO BEGAN COLLECTING CRECHE FIGURES IN 1925 AND SOON AFTER CONCEIVED THE IDEA OF COMBINING THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CUSTOM OF ELABORATE NATIVITY SCENES WITH THE TRADITION OF DECORATED CHRISTMAS TREES THAT HAD DEVELOPED AMONG THE LARGELY PROTESTANT PEOPLE OF NORTHERN EUROPE. THE UNUSUAL COMBINATION WAS FIRST PRESENTED TO TE PUBLIC IN 1957, WHEN THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM INITIALLY EXHIBITED HOWARD'S COLLECTION. MORE THAN 200 18th CENTURY CRECHE FIGURES WERE GIVEN TO THE MUSEUM BY HOWARD STARTING IN 1964, AND THEY HAVE BEEN DISPLAYED EACH HOLIDAY FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS. THE TOWERING TREE, GLOWING WITH LIGHT, IS ADORNED WITH DELICATE CHERUBS AND SOME 50 GRACEFULLY SUSPENDED ANGELS. THE LANDSCAPE AT THE BASE DISPLAYS THE FIGURES AND SCENERY OF THE NEAPOLITAN CHRISTMAS CRIB. THE DISPLAY MINGLES TEH THREE BASIC ELEMENTS TRADITIONAL IN 18th CENTURY NAPLES: THE NATIVITY, WITH ADORING SHEPARDS AND THEIR FLOCKS; THE PROCESSION OF THE THREE MAGI AND THEIR EXOTICALLY DRESSED RETINUE OF ASIANS AND AFRICANS; AND, MOST DISTINCTIVELY, A CROWD OF COLOURFUL TOWNSPEOPLE AND PEASANTS. THE THEATRICAL SCENE IS ENHANCED BY A CHARMING ASSORTMENT OF ANIMALS, SHEEP, GOATS, HORSES, CAMELS, ANS AN ELEPHANT, AND BY BACKGROUND PIECES SERVING AS THE DRAMATIC SETTING FOR THE NATIVITY, INCLUDING RUINS OF A ROMAN TEMPLE, SEVERAL QUAINT HOUSES AND TYPICAL ITALIAN FOUNTAIN WITH A LION'S MASK WATERSPOUT.