Little saints

This morning, as we made our way up the village from visiting our local market, we found a big door open that we had never seen open before and a young man was encouraging visitors to look at his village exhibition. We had seen him and others working on the roadside, polishing furniture to sell next door, but had never realised the other side to this particular young man. Here he is getting on with his ‘work’ outside his workshop but behind him, and through the door you can see, lies a huge surprise.

Inside is a huge miniature scene of Provençal life and he had made every bit of it. Apparently every Christmas he sets up a crib in the old church at the top of the village, a crib scene made up of hundreds of figures like these in the picture, so that it tells not just the nativity story, but the story of Provençal life through the ages. The impact of what he says is only a small part of the finished scene is magical. The detail in the figures and the landscape is extraordinary. As you walk round you notice all sorts of things. Look large to see the detail of this tiny section.

Each figure has been made of clay in a mould and then hand painted, dressed and accessorised. These are Santons or ‘little saints’ and scenes like this are apparently to be found in churches and squares throughout Provence at Christmas time, although we’ve never been around at that time to see them.

We had come across Santons before, but had not realised we had a highly skilled Santonnier in the village. It is said that Santons were first made after the French Revolution when the churches were closed and intimate, domestic cribs assumed a key role in people’s lives. Making the Santons soon became a popular local craft.

This young man tells how he made his first crib for the church when he was 14 years old and he has made one ever since – for 22 years. It is his hobby he says, not his work.

Amazing to see!

A very hot day. I spent some time trying, and failing, to photograph butterflies in the garden. I did manage a few grasshoppers though.