34 Pc CARBONEL SANTONS Nativity Figures FRANCE

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A rare find! A large set of Santos (little saint) figures all hand made and painted by the Carbonel family. At that time of the French Revolution religious expression was forbidden, so the citizens of Marseille began to place figures representing local people as worshippers of the baby Jesus at Christmas time. The Carbonel family began a tradition at that time of producing these figures. This set consists of the inner circle: Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus, and the three Maji. Surrounding them are 14 figures of about 2 1/2-3" in height, 5 figures of about 1" each, and, 9 animals. The larger figures are: a knife sharpener; a well-dressed man with a knife; 2 market women with two baskets of produce each; a drummer; an old peasant woman with a cane; a couple carrying a cane (the man) and a basket (the woman); an old man with a cane accompanied by a boy; a woman on a donkey; a well-dressed lady with a loaf of bread; a woman with two baskets of fish; an old priest with a cane; a peasant woman carrying faggots; and, an African woman carrying a tambourine. The tiny figures are: a black man with a tambourine; a gentleman with a cigar; a hunter with a rifle; a peasant woman with a cabbage; and, a woman carrying a cradle on her head. The animals are: a camel, 2 sheep, 2 geese, a rooster, a dog, a donkey, and a cow. The figures are made of terracotta read more

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