Sicilians and Italians spend today, Saint Stephen’s Day, visiting presepi, or nativity scenes–traditional, ancient, and modern as well as tiny, life-size, and live (i.e. presented by actors accompanied by live animals)! This inlaid marble alter image depicting the Holy Family is from Palermo’s Monumentale Chiesa dell’immacolata Concezione, a masterpiece of baroque architecture built in 1612.
The colors are so vivid and it has a 19th-20th century feel to it – except for the Holy Family. Beautiful. Hard to believe it’s from the Baroque period!