A scene from the Neapolitan crèche at the Art Institute of Chicago. (Marc Vitali / WTTW News)

Ten years ago this month, a spectacular Nativity set called a crèche debuted at the Art Institute of Chicago. Purchased in 2013, the crèche was made in Naples and dates from the mid-1700s.

It’s a traditional Nativity scene in a non-traditional setting.

The Holy Family and the Wise Men are placed not in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago, but in Naples in the 18th century. Instead of the inn of the New Testament, there is a bustling tavern filled with Neapolitan clientele, including a man dancing the tarantella. It’s a theatrical view of the sacred and the secular.

The elaborate tableau inhabits a 14x15-foot Baroque cabinet. It’s crowded with a cast of more than 200 characters, including dozens of animals, visitors from foreign lands and street vendors selling chestnuts, shellfish and ricotta cheese.

A host of angels hovers over the scene. Look closely down below and you may find a monkey, a nursing mother, and Benino — a sleeping shepherd of Italian lore, who is either missing all of the holy happenings or dreaming about them.

A scene from the Neapolitan crèche at the Art Institute of Chicago. (Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago)

The art form depended upon many of the leading artists and artisans of the day. Silver table settings were created by silversmiths, and miniature stringed instruments were made by master luthiers. The figures have hand-painted terra cotta heads affixed to armature bodies covered with silk and satin costumes. Straw, wax and wood are also part of the mixed media.

There are believed to be only a dozen crèches in the world of this quality and scale. They were common in Neapolitan churches of the 1700s but much rarer now.

And they’re even rare in Chicago — the Neapolitan crèche is uncovered just once a year for about 40 days over the holidays. It’s too big to move, so when it’s not on view it stays in place — hidden behind a temporary wall.

Soon, the crèche will disappear behind the wall once again and won’t appear again until late November 2024. It’s on view in Gallery 203 through Jan. 8, 2024.

Note: This article was update to clarify how the crèche was acquired. 

The Neapolitan crèche at the Art Institute of Chicago. (Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago)