Creche greccio giotto biography

The first nativity scene in history?
Francis had a crib built for the Christmas celebrations.
This is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art.

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File:Giotto - Legend of St Francis - -13- - Institution of the Crib at Greccio.jpg

Artist



Alternative names	Giotto
Description	Italian painter, architect, sculptor, muralist and designer
Date of birth/death	1267 / 1276 / 1266	8 January 1337
Location of birth/death	Colle di Vespignano, part of Vicchio, Tuscany	Florence
Work location	Florence, Padua, Rome, Naples, Assisi
Authority file

artist QS:P170,Q7814

Title

Institution of the Crib at Greccio

label QS:Len,"Institution of the Crib at Greccio"

Part ofScenes of the life of Sant Francis Object typefresco Genrereligious art Description

Legend of St Francis

Date 1295 MediumpaintingDimensions height: 230 cm (90.5 in) ; width: 270 cm (106.2 in)

dimensions QS:P2048,+230U174728

dimensions QS:P2049,+270U174728

Collection

institution QS:P195,Q3635787

Current location

Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi

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The Crèche is Alive (Literally!) in Umbria

The crib scene originated in Assisi with St. Francis who was the first to create a “living manger scene”. In 1223 (3 years before his death), Francesco decided to celebrate the memory of the birth of Christ at Greccio (south of Assisi, in northern Latium). He had a straw-filled crib prepared, with ox and ass nearby. His frati minori (“little brothers” – to be called “Franciscans” one day) were all invited and the people came in crowds.

St. Francis’ “living Nativity” in the Giotto fresco cycle (early 14th.c)

His biographer tells us that Francesco stood before the crib, preaching to the people about the birth of the poor King with tender compassion. A knight, John of Greccio, who was a great friend of the Saint, said that he saw a Child asleep in the crib and that Francesco gently took the Baby in his arms and seemed to wake Him up. This was the first “living manger scene”. Nearly two centuries later, the great Giotto will immortalize the Greccio crib scene in the fresco cycle abo

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A Brief History of the Christmas Crèche

Christmas is my favorite time of year. It’s cozy; people from around the world gather around the proverbial fire to celebrate with family and friends; it’s peaceful (at least in theory); disparate parties put aside political and cultural differences to recall the goodness in each other; it’s dramatic; it presents a paradox in which humanity and divinity, infancy and omnipotence, potency and actuality in a brief moment meet.

All that said, it is rare that I can escape this merriest of seasons without a forceful re-encounter with a vivid childhood memory: the opening Christmas pageant scene from the 1989 fantasy drama film Prancer. I don’t remember when I first watched the movie, but over the years that murky stage, backlit with stark blue (were they blue?) bulbs and pinprick candles, has loomed ever more eerily in my mind.

Perhaps I am alone in this memory – the film certainly seems to have had other qualities to recommend it. But a 53% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes leads me to believe that there mu