Creating A Fontanini Figure

From artist's sketch to final production, a single Fontanini nativity figure can take up to two years to create. This patience and dedication to craft is evident in each outdoor nativity set produced by the House of Fontanini. We peek behind the curtain to discover exactly how these wondrous figurines are made.

Fontanini figures are among the most beautiful and highly detailed nativity pieces available today. Founded by Emanuele Fontanini in Bagni di Lucca, a village in the rolling hills of Italy's famed Tuscan region, the House of Fontanini has been producing handcrafted nativity sets since 1908. The process of creating a Fontanini figure reveals the care and dedication that have made the Fontanini name synonymous with nativity scenes.

In the Beginning&
Much like Adam in the Genesis creation story, each Fontanini nativity figure is first formed from clay. Using an artist's sketch, master sculptor Elio Simonetti forms an actual-size clay sculpture. Once this design is approved by the Fontanini family, Simonetti creates a new model from beeswax. This beeswax model is highly detailed and used to create the rubber or metal molds used in casting Fontanini nativity figures.

Painting Polymer
Most high-quality figurines are made from porcelain, but a Fontanini nativity set is cast in polymer. The advantage of polymer is that the material permits exquisite detail work, but unlike porcelain is very resistant to breaking or chipping.

A Fontanini nativity piece is created by pouring liquid polymer into a mold at a very high temperature and pressure. The polymer is removed from the mold while still warm and pliable, and is cooled for two hours by immersion in continuously running cold water.

Once the polymer figures are cooled, they are taken to the homes of artisans in Bagni di Lucca for painting. Sometimes three generations of women from the same family will paint Fontanini figures together. The pieces are painted one feature at a time rather than one figure at a time, e.g. first the pants of every piece, then the shirts, then the shoes. The only feature left unpainted is the eyes, which are left to a specialized group of painters in order to capture the reverent and lifelike quality so crucial for an outdoor nativity scene.

The Last Details
The process of creating a Fontanini nativity figure ends with the application of patina, a compound of oil, lime, and burnt oils and earth. The patina is applied with a brush, after which the figure is wiped with a cloth, placed in a tub, and wiped dry. These last details ensure that each Fontanini figure is clean and non-toxic. A final extraneous touch is the creation of a story card explaining the history of the particular Fontanini nativity character.

The most popular Fontanini outdoor nativity scene is composed of 5-inch characters and is a seven-piece set. However, Fontanini nativity characters are available in eight different sizes up to 50 inches tall.