This two-piece Holy Family was hand-carved out of polished palewa stone, a type of Indian soapstone. Mary is holding the baby Jesus while Joseph is represented in adoration.
Palewa Stone Holy Family
Category Archives: Asia
Dotted Benares Nativity
This colorful nativity is hand-carved out of wood harvested from mango trees. The distinctive dotted pattern of paint is typical for Benares, India.
Multi-Wood Abstract Nativity
This uniquely shaped Holy Family and three Magi was made using different types of wood.
Papier-Maché Holy Family
The three figures of the Holy Family were created in Papier-Maché. They were painted in gleaming colors and lacquered.
Fold-up Nativity
This fold-up nativity is made from wheat straw.
Whitewashed Terra Cotta Nativity
Set in an elaborate stable with a three teared decorative roof topped by a bird this nativity is made out of terra cotta which is then whitewashed to give the figure a distinctive appearance.
Alstonia Nativity
This nativity was carved from Alstonia also known as Devil Tree, a tropical tree native to Indonesia, among other countries. The eight figures have a contemporary appearance with simple ornamentation in muted tones.
Traditional Kokeshi Holy Family
This lovely Holy Family comprising Jesus, Mary and Joseph is presented as Kokeshi or traditional Japanese dolls.
Traditional Kokeshi began to be made about two hundred years ago in the northeast region of Japan known as the Tohoku region. It is commonly believed that the 18th C. Kijiya or woodworkers who originally specialized in household utensils began to make small dolls which they sold to the tourists who came to bathe in the many hot springs near their villages.
Kokeshi traditionally consist of a basic cylindrical limbless body and a round head. Though the first dolls might have been unpainted, today most Kokeshi are painted in bright colors. The traditional colors used were red, yellow, and purple. The woods used for Kokeshi vary though dogwood most popular.
Sinamay Nativity
This holy family is made from sinamay, a woven fiber using the stripped fiber of the abaca tree. Artisans weave the fine strands of fibers into fabrics with a wooden loom. The result is this very delicate almost etherial representations of the holy family.
Coconut Nativity
This nativity scene is created using a decorated coconut shell. The figures of Mary, Joseph and Jesus as well as the palm trees that are inserted into the shell are cut out of the same shell.
