An Italian crib in Malta

Midsea Books have published An Eighteenth-Century Neapolitan Crib in Malta, a book about Fr Edgar Vella’s Neapolitan crib, with photography by Joe Borg.

The crib knows its success mainly to three factors: light, form, and colour, that, fused together, reveal the infinite love of God towards humanity.

This form of craftsmanship of the high-est artistic value has always attrac- ted the most varied personalities: from princes to sovereigns, from bankers to mer- chants, from prelates to hum- ble priests, from devotees to unbelievers, but, above all, it has created a dazzling and fable-like atmosphere that leaves both adults and children enchanted, and makes them live in paradise. The story of this crib dates back to the early 1990s where Fr Edgar acquired his first crib figures at antique markets in London, among which a Madonna by Lorenzo Mosca, a St Joseph by Nicola Somma, and a rustic figure by Genzano; truly lucky acquisitions.

By time other acquisitions followed and, through meticulous observation, analysis, and research, other important names of crib sculptures from the Settecento came forth: Francesco Viva, Giuseppe De Luca, other pieces by Lor- enzo Mosca, Giuseppe Gori, Francesco and Camillo Celebrano, Salvatore Franco, Nicola and Aniello Ingaldi, Fran-cesco Cappiello.

Many crib figures are to be dated to the setting of the various workshops that emerged in 18th-century Naples, some of which of importance, such as that of Giuseppe Sanmartino, the caposcuola of Neapolitan sculpture.

Fr Edgar’s collection has grown throughout these years until it has reached a substantial number of figures.

This fact gave rise to the need to exhibit the collection to the general public and to communicate the joy of owning such works of art.