Midsea Books has just published a book which is ideal for this time of year. An Eighteenth-Century Neapolitan Crib in Malta (by Edgar Vella, photography by Joe P. Borg) is a book about Fr Edgar Vella’s Neapolitan crib, which knows its success mainly to three factors: light, form, and colour. Fused together, these elements reveal the infinite love of God towards humanity to the point of taking the form of man and being born poor among the poor.

This form of craftsmanship of the highest artistic value has always attracted the most varied personalities: from princes to sovereigns, bankers to merchants, prelates to humble priests, devotees to unbelievers, but, above all, it has created a dazzling atmosphere that leaves both adults and children enchanted.

The launching of this book will be held on Monday, December 12 at 6.30pm at the Ministry of Education, Employment and the Family, Palazzo Ferreria, Republic Street, Valletta, where the actual Neapolitan Crib will be displayed.

The story of this crib dates back to the early 1990s when Fr Vella 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 Lorenzo Mosca, Giuseppe Gori, Francesco and Camillo Celebrano, Salvatore Franco, Nicola and Aniello Ingaldi, Francesco 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 extreme importance, such as that of Giuseppe Sanmartino, the caposcuola of Neapolitan sculpture.

Fr Vella’s collection has grown throughout the years until it has reached a substantial number of figures. This gave rise to the need of exhibiting the collection to the general public and to communicate the joy of owning such works of art.

This book has a superb finishing and is a must-have for all those who love the crib in general and are keen on the art and history of a crib, especially in this festive season.