Armando Del Giudice - Nativity scene (13) - Earthenware - Magi Procession - 18 cm

Armando Del Giudice (Napoli) – Cavalcade of the Three Wise Men on horseback with entourage

Important Neapolitan nativity group consisting of the Three Wise Men on horseback, accompanied by their entourage of characters and carriers of decorative elements, created by the craftsman and master nativity artisan Armando Del Giudice.

The work was purchased directly from the artist around the mid-1980s and is offered in its original complete composition, as bought at the time.

The scene stands out for the richness of the composition, the variety of the characters, the horses and the vivid polychromy of the costumes. The procession forms a unified ensemble, particularly suitable for a collector of Neapolitan nativity scenes and of traditional figures linked to the Nativity.

The Three Wise Men on horseback measure about 18 cm in average height; the entourage figures measure about 12–13 cm, excluding the plumes and upper decorative elements.

The artist

Armando Del Giudice is documented in the Neapolitan nativity tradition as a master in terracotta work. A graduate of the Capodimonte Art Institute, “Caselli,” in Naples, he taught ceramic technique and dedicated himself to the creation of shepherds, figurative groups, and scenographic pieces inspired by the late 19th-century Neapolitan tradition.

His production is appreciated for the expressiveness of the figures, the care of the clothing, and attention to detail, elements that contribute to keeping alive the artisanal tradition of Neapolitan nativity art.

Provenance: direct purchase from the artist, circa 1985.

Composition: complete procession, consisting of the Three Wise Men on horseback and their entourage.

Materials: terracotta

Conditions: It certainly shows some chipping, but overall it is in excellent condition

An item of interest for collectors of Neapolitan nativity art, Italian artistic craftsmanship, and figurative groups of the Christmas tradition.