Ivory Infant from Prague Photo thanks to  Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll Art

Both crèche, santos, and other dressed religious figures are doll like figures but they are different in use and source. Crèche or crib figures are traditionally associated with Italy and are features in very special Christmas displays. Crèche figures represent the HOLY FAMILY, the wise men, attendants at the birth of Christ. Large displays also include common laborers shown at their daily work in dioramas surrounding the central crib display. These figures are essentially very elaborate Christmas ornaments carefully packed away after the season was over! See a more detailed description below. Other dressed religious figures exist representing Jesus, the holy family, angels and saints. "Infants from Prague" were traditional religious figures popular in europe meant to be displayed year round in churches and private devotionals. These infants represent the young Christ child regally dressed as a king often mounted on elaborate stands.  The Spanish religious figures are called "santos". Santos were meant to be displayed on a daily basis as a part of a church, community, or family devotional shrine.  Santos figures were brought to the West during colonial times and quickly became an important part of daily life in the Spanish speaking Americas. Local artists were encouraged to make these figures to fill an ever growing local demand for them. While some santos may be considered quaint folk art, others are finely crafted religious sculptures.

This auction advertisement photo of "early dolls" displays several jointed religious figures in various sizes along with other "early dolls" Photograph courtesy of Theriault's Annapolis, MD

Caution about fakes:

There are a lot of FAKES to be aware of while collecting any antiques, dolls and figures. The best way to guard against a fake is to deal with a reputable dealer.

James Caswell of Historia warns about fake santos figures, "With the increasing scarcity of authentic pieces here and in Mexico, more and more modern copies are being made. Please beware of fakes, they may be charming but are not true folk art and only made to sell to tourists and the unsuspecting!"

Crèche Figures:
Crèche figures represent the HOLY FAMILY, the wise men, attendants and common laborers. These figures were used in religious scenes especially around Christmas to illustrate the birth of Christ. These precipios became extremely popular in europe and the wealthy soon began to compete with each other to build the most elaborate scenes. Some grew into massive dioramas depicting typical town activities built around the main "crib scene".

These elaborate dioramas fell out of favor with the church since they distracted from the central theme of the "crib" display. With strong denouncement from church officials, the grand era of the precipio was over. As a result most great displays were downsized, dismantled or destroyed, but luckily many of the individual figures were saved and can be found in antique doll collections around the world.

The earliest great "crib" figures were carved out of wood by the same craftsmen who carved great religious icons for church decorations, royalty, and the wealthy. These crèches were being created for those same wealthy and influential patrons, so no expense was spared to create the most stunning one-of-a-kind, expressive figures. Thus each of these early dolls were works of art. Artists also started sculpting some figures in terra-cotta, which was a lot faster than wood carving.

As these crèches became more popular more craftsmen became involved. Crèche figure creation became a very big business especially in Italy. The creation of these figures often became a community group effort coordinated by a "manufacturer". In this business arrangement: the heads, legs and hands were carved by different people or families, the dress making was also jobbed out, then the pieces were collected and assembled. As a result, it is quite common to find the hands that are way too big for the size of a particular doll.

The faces are often extremely expressive. The overall figure posture, and their graceful hands often over exaggerate these emotions. Their expressive hands are often in uncomfortable, or impossible looking poses.

Dressed Religious Statuary: "Santos", Crèche figures, and dolls were also made by some fabulously talented carvers in the Spanish speaking Americas. The Coleman's encyclopedia #1 page 647 notes that "Peter Wellponer brought Grodner Tal dolls to Mexico". Were these examples the finer "crèche type figures" that are still made by Northern Italian artists, or the cheap, minimally carved, peg-wooden dolls that were mass-produced and typically associated with the Grodner region of the Alps? Was Peter hoping to create a new hub of wooden doll production in Mexico? What came out of his efforts?

Santos Figures:

James Caswell's antique gallery web site, Historia, is filled with information about many forms of santos figures and other religious art. I thoroughly enjoyed browsing his interesting web pages and was in awe at the beauty of the figures he had displayed.
 

Fabulously carved, jointed santos figure with an angelic face Photo thanks to Historica

Santos Figures by James Caswell of  Historia Carved images of saints in the Spanish Colonial tradition are commonly referred to by their Spanish name, santos. Artisans produced these figures, like retablos, to satisfy a need in the Catholic, post-conquest world for images to be revered not just in churches, but also in private homes. Most often carved in wood and polychrome, santos were also created in ivory, wax, or pasta de cane (a paste made from corn). Subjects include the Virgin, Christ, numerous male and female saints, Archangels such as Miguel and Rafael, and puti, or angels. In the Colonial, that is, pre-1810 era, the standard practice was to carve the santo with its clothes completely finished in wood. Often the robes would be gilded and richly incised with decorative items (estofada). Occasionally in this period the saints would have their torsos, legs, and arms carved doll-like, and would be painted orange or cochineal red, and dressed in fabric clothing.  Later in the nineteenth century, in a move toward greater realism, almost all of the saints were carved in this fashion. Hinged, movable limbs facilitated the periodic changes of costume that were essential in the dusty, smoky, insect-infested environment of last century Mexico. Figures from the 19th century were most often painted a chalky, celestial blue. Today, we frequently enjoy santos without their garments, both to appreciate the beautiful carving of the figures, and because the clothing with which they come to us is often not original or is in poor condition.

Some of the jointed santos figures have strange proportions. The joint placement is un-natural. For example: often the wrist joint does NOT fall at the true wrist location but higher up on the arm. This allows for the true wrist to be attractive as it peaks outside of the clothing but the arm bend is totally wrong.

Solid wood religious statuary

Carved wooden statues representing all of the main religious figures have been created for centuries all around the world. These decorate churches, shrines, and private devotionals. Italy is well known for creating some of the most breathtakingly beautiful religious solid sculpture. Clothes and drapes are carved and painted. A long discussion about this form of religious sculpture doesn't fit within the scope of this document except to point out a very few examples.

Russian "Slash Carved" Icons
 

Russian Icon photo by Jean Lotz

These small wooden religious Icons were carved and painted by the same craftsman who made the very similar solid wooden "slash carved" dolls. The icons and dolls were sold together in their craft booths. The icons were meant to become parts of private devotionals. These icons and slash carved dolls are sometimes found in doll collections outside of Russia. Doll collectors often picked them up as a souvenir and both Russian dolls and icons were sold via the Kimport Company (out of business for many years) in their effort to offer the exotic and very unusual to their mail order doll customers. more information about Russian slash carved dolls

Solid carved wood religious statuary: Baby Jesus
 

Baby Jesus 13" Neapolitan carved wooden infant Photograph courtesy of Theriault's Annapolis, MD

Figures representing baby Jesus in a crèche are often carved in one piece either with a carved cloth covering his lower torso, or he is nude with anatomical details. Swaddling clothes may have been added to nude babies by the owners but most often he lay there in all of his glory. The faces are often extremely tender and loving.

Figures with jointed wood bodies
 

Religious Figures Note the Jointed central figure  Photograph courtesy of Theriault's Annapolis, MD

Realistic, hand-carved fabulously jointed, and wonderfully dressed religious figures were created by continental artists and those in the Spanish speaking areas of the Americas. Many of the wooden bodies of santos were often painted (often bright blue). This painted surface was meant to be covered and completely hidden by clothing. Those representing saints, and Christ (as an older boy and man) are likely santos while those representing a young Holy family and Jesus at birth may be crèche figures.

Figures with jointed wood bodies: Black Child Assistant To The Magi

12-1/2" African Child photos thanks to Ken Barker

Black Child Assistant To The Magi Ken described this doll as: "HAND CARVED WOODEN BLACK AFRICAN DOLL LATE 18TH CENTURY 1700's. This doll has a beautifully carved face and hands. African man 12 1/2"  tall. It is fully articulated." This male crèche figure represents a A "Moorish Figure" also called a "Black Assistant To The Magi". This is a member of a small scale, but elaborate crèche scene. If he represents a child and standing at 12-1/2", then I would guess that the scale of the major crèche figures may have been about 18" to 20". Moorish figures were typically colorful secondary pieces of the central nativity scene in the crèche. The swiveling hinged joints allow great range of movement but those on this doll are not as refined and elegant as you find on early crèche figures from the large regal displays. Instead these joints are merely functional. The black paint has been applied only where it would be exposed by the clothing. One hand is very expressively carved with open fingers while the other is a clenched fist. This hand was obviously designed to have held something through a drilled hole, He may have held a flag, feather fan, or something like this in an upright position. The elbow area of this upper arm is carved at a greater angle thus giving more freedom to lift this lower arm a bit higher than the other one. His silk clothes are melting but you can still see in the detail photos below how elegantly he was dressed at one time. More photos by Ken Barker: detail hands and joints detail of hands clothing: cape front, back, vest and pants close-up of feet and stand

Figures with jointed wood bodies: Crèche Figure or American Slave's doll?
 

Figures with wire armature type bodies

Photograph courtesy of Theriault's Annapolis, MD

Elaborately dressed 17th century Moorish figure Photograph courtesy of Theriault's Annapolis, MD

Wire armature type bodies: 20" Crèche Figure

photos thanks to Kirsten Friesen More Photos: full length hands close-up face close-up feet close-up

The owner of this doll was very eager to allow me to post her photos. She said, "Dear Jean Lotz, You are more than welcome to take the photo's and use them. I love this doll myself. He should be enjoyed by many." Thank you, Kirsten, for sharing. The following is how Kirsten Friesen described her doll: "Very rare and extremely beautiful 20" crèche doll. He is a work of art with such fine details you can see the veins on his hands. The pondering thoughtful look on his face gives him a lifelike quality. It is the mark of the early crèche figures that they have such fine detailed heads with finely carved curly hair and in this case beard as well. His head and limbs are made of gesso-over-wood and his body is a wire frame covered with fabric and straw like material. He has fine brown inset glass eyes, four beautifully squared teeth and an open mouth with a delicate tongue. All his features are lifelike as if he is stepping out of a Michael Angelo painting. The early crèche figures can date back as far as 1790s. He is wearing his original French purple silk robe with French trimming. You can see the wear on his left arm, and a black piece of material has been added to the back of his robe.  All his fingers are there (no repairs) and there is very little damage to this rare doll. Some paint is missing on his feet which does not detract from the value of  this fantastic work of art."

Some old wooden religious figures were converted into dolls. (See the Fabulous French Couturier Fashion Dolls).

Religious figures in all forms are still available. In the 1980's the Philippine company of Tita Ling was known for some of the most delicate old-world quality wooden crèche figures which could be bought nude or specially dressed. Today the large wood carving houses in the Italian Alps still produce masses of carved wooden religious statuary.

Tita Ling Dolls or Philippine Dolls and crèche figures - Paranaque, Rizal (Philippines)
Tita Ling created some of the most fabulous old-world quality carved wooden crèche sets in the 20th century. Many of these figures were dressed as dolls representing queens, historical or biblical characters, and every day Philippine men, woman and children.

Can you help? - I need a photo to illustrate one of the Tita Ling crèche sets.

• More information about Tita Ling - in the Lotz Doll Pages Modern Artist Gallery.

solid wood figure of boy likely by Tita Ling (jointed only at the shoulders, with carved hair, and inset glass eyes with real hair eye lashes) photo from a June Beckett wood doll lecture handout

These dolls are referred to by these two names: "Tita Ling's Dolls" and “Philippine Dolls". Both names appear on the doll hang tag. From the1960's through the 1980's (I don't know the dates for sure yet) Tita Ling was primarily known for creating fabulous carved wooden crèche sets in many sizes, but I have seen some extraordinarily fine non-religious, well dressed dolls by Tita Ling. Tita Ling dolls and figures were made in several sizes, and the details were as fine on the smallest as on the largest. A crèche set could be purchased with all of the important humans, angels and assorted well carved animals. The details are astounding when you consider the small scale of some of these crèche sets. For example a small 14 piece crèche set ranged from 3-1/2" to 11-1/2" tall. The details on even the smallest Christ child were amazing. Tita Ling dolls and crèche figures were typically carved as solid wood figures from the head down to the toes or carved shoes and sandals. The tops of the arms had a neat fitting flange/butt joint connected with elastic through the shoulders. Some of the arms have a "preferred pose" so they aren't really jointed in the true sense of this word. The arms are applied separately possibly for ease of costuming.

Tita Ling figures are extremely natural looking with muscles that look like real flesh. The delicate carving of muscles, correct physical proportions, and stance shows a great understanding of human anatomy. The figures are self-supporting and their poses are graceful and realistic.

I don't know if these figures were "hand-carved" as some people claim, or machine duplicated. It doesn't matter how they were carved because they received expert care in the finish carving stage, eye setting, and painting. These are top quality wooden figures.

The hair was carved on male figures but some figures were wigged with human hair when long hair was needed. Another characteristic is the use of inset glass eyes with upper and lower real hair eyelashes.