On Friday 30 November 2007 we put the finishing touches to a special project for a special museum: a nativity scene for the Dutch Tile Museum in Otterlo.

From 1 December 2007 to 6 January 2008, and every year thereafter, it will be possible to see this special exhibition. It is certainly worthwhile to come and take a look! You will be warmly welcomed with a cup of warm pea soup and will also be able to marvel the wonderful museum.

The Dutch Tile Museum in Otterlo boasts one of the largest collections of Dutch wall tiles and tile tapestries. One is able to see children’s games and proverbs, old costumes, ships and windmills, biblical scenes, herding scenes and landscapes. Flowers, birds and animals are firm favourites, as are finely-created abstract leaf patterns or geometric ornaments. The museum offers great opportunities to learn more about techniques for baking and painting tiles.




The museum’s collection also contains a large number of tiles containing paintings of biblical scenes. Especially for Christmas, a beautiful collection of tiles has been acquired that depict the story of Christmas. Thus it is logical to see why the Dutch Tile Museum wanted to create a nativity scene.


For the Tile Museum we designed Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, the shepherd and the three wise men from the East.

Joseph

Joseph was a simply-dressed man. We thought that simple dark brown linen garments would be most suitable, with a beige-coloured over-blanket and dark brown sandals.

He has white skin - a slightly darker tint than Mary – which has been tanned by the sun while he worked outside. We gave him dark brown hair, a dark brown beard and a moustache.

Mary

We thought that Mary should appear to be pious and loving. When director Martin van Meurs visited our company, he was immediately attracted to a particular mannequin. Thus we used her to depict the holy virgin. Her pale skin contrasts perfectly with her clear eyes and brown hair.

We opted for a plain white robe and a turquoise-coloured head scarf, which has yellow-gold embroidery.

Shepherd

When in the open fields, shepherds still manage to get a tanned complexion despite head coverings. Thus we have also selected a slightly darker-tinted mannequin for the shepherd. A man in good health will probably have a body that reflects that, which is why we gave him a slightly larger body than the other figures.

His garments are made of simple beige-coloured linen and he wears a beige, but striped, head covering. The shepherd is also distinguished by his herding staff. Finally, we gave him simple woven sandals.

Jesus

We wanted to make the baby as realistic as possible. After a long search, we succeeded in finding a baby figure that could not be distinguished from a real baby!

There really was nothing which indicated that this baby was not real. We wrapped baby Jesus in soft beige-coloured blankets.

The three wise men from the East

According to the story, the wise men, who were also kings, brought gold, frankincense and myrrh for the new born child. The biblical reference to the wise men is a lot vaguer: their gifts are only mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew. Their precise origin, their names and even number are not mentioned. Legends have filled the voids, which has led to many different versions. We gave the wise men comfortable and luxurious clothing, jewellery with pretty gemstones and presents in their hands. Their hair, beards and moustaches were given a neat and tidy appearance. We created three older-looking men: one white, one black and one with an Arabic appearance.

Eastern wise man

The Eastern wise man wears a stunning chocolate brown and blue garment. These colours are repeated into very smallest detail – even in the skin colour. He has been given a matching head covering using the same fabrics and colours. His robe is decorated with pretty brown fur and his sleeves with a glittering trim. He is carrying a gold-coloured chest in his hands, which is filled with herbs. Around his waist, he wears a sash which is the same colour as his turban.

Black wise man

We gave the black wise man a gold and purple garment. His cape is made from a pretty dark purple fabric and is being held together with satin ties decorated with gold tassels. He wears a stunning shiny gold and purple coat, over a cream-coloured shirt and matching pants. We also made him a matching fez from the same fabric as his cape, and finished him off with a cream turban. He also has matching slippers, which have gold windings on the toes and are finished with a decorative gold trim. He also carries a present for baby Jesus.

White wise man

We gave the white wise man a gold-coloured garment and a brown cape made from a heavy, nicely decorated fabric. His head covering, which features amber gemstones, is made from the same fabric as his garment. We also placed a ring on his finger, which features an amber-coloured stone. A camel-brown piece of fur has been placed over his shoulder, and held in place by a stunning broche. The bottom of his garment and the sleeves are finished with the same fur. A fur bag is lying next to him and clearly displays golden presents.

Click here to see more photos of the figures in this project.