Melding eighteenth-century traditions with twentieth-century technologies or, crèche crisis culminates in Christmas collaboration

Abstract

In 1996, a seemingly straightforward project began in the textile conservation lab at the National Park Service's Division of Conservation at Harpers Ferry Center. Five 18th-century Neapolitan crèche, or presepio, (Nativity) figures from the White House collection entered the lab for treatment. Composite in nature, these unusual figures have life-like sculpted terracotta heads, wooden hands and feet, a linen tow wrapped wire armature body, and are dressed in elaborate textiles, many of which are 18th-century originals. Since then, the entire group of 45 figures and animals, typical of the centuries-old presepio tradition that continues today in Naples, Italy, has been examined. The figures have been on public view in the East Room of the White House during the holiday season for over 20 years, displayed on a mountain tableau constructed in 1978. The tableau contains materials that are not conservationally sound and cause damage to textiles on the figures. Moreover, though modular in design, the tableau is heavy, cumbersome, and difficult to install in its designated window niche. As a result, the installation of a new Nativity, implemented in 1999, rectifies these problems while incorporating aesthetics of historic, 18th-century presepio settings as well as state-of-the-art presentation elements such as fiber optic lighting. From the outset, conservation concerns shaped the project, which evolved into a collaborative effort involving conservators, curators, exhibit designers, and specialists with expertise in presepio design and fabrication. Research identified historical materials used for these displays and led to a greater understanding of the aesthetic elements found in traditional tableaux.