Retablo Nativity Gourd

This year, the Vatican Nativity scene is from Peru, and we decided to create a whole collection of Nativity scenes (retablo). Hang your own in your Christmas Tree! 🎄

This natural gourd ornament was hand carved, painted, polished and cut to create a door with a flower design. Inside the gourd appears the Nativity scene featuring 7 ceramic figurines, each one painted by hand and secured inside the hollowed out space of the gourd.

The interior is a painted midnight blue sky and added some straw to recreate the ceiling of a barn, while the exterior is covered in a delicate colorful design, typical from Peru. The technique used to recreate these Nativity scenes has been passed over generations.

Size: ~2.5 x 3 inches
Weight: 0.3

It took 3 days to the family artisan from Huancayo, Peru to complete this art.