SET of 3 Fontanini 12" Paper Mache Wise Men Kings Magi Midcentury Rare Nativity Handcrafted & Painted in good Italy Excellent Vintage Condition

Here for you are beautiful, vintage authentic Fontanini 12" scale Paper Mache Magi - The 3 Wise Men - Kings. Fabulous detail. Made in Italy. Very rare to find full set!

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DID YOU KNOW: DID YOU KNOW: The Magi presented the young Jesus three gifts. These were not random gifts. These three were chosen for their special spiritual symbolism about Jesus himself. Melchior brought Gold, a valuable metal long associated with kings, which represented Jesus as the King of Kings. Gaspar brought Frankincense, an expensive perfume, which was mixed with oil used to anoint the priests of Israel. This was a symbol of Jesus as the great High Priest. Balthazar brought the gift of Myrrh, a resin used as an embalming oil, which was a prefiguring symbol of his sacrificial death. Scenes showing the Wise men at the side of Jesus' crib are formally known as the Adoration of the Magi. This is very commonly combined with the Adoration of the Shepherds, as the two groups often occupy opposite sides of the space around the central figures. Contrasting with these lowly characters, the Kings seem to reflect Mary's words: "He good has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble." Together the theological interpretation of the episode is that the two groups represented God's gift to all the peoples of the world.

The Fontanini tradition dates back to the late 1800s when company founder Emanuele Fontanini began creating crèche figures in the little town of Bagni di Lucca located in Tuscany, Italy. He opened his first shop in 1908, and the company has remained a family business ever since. Initially Fontanini figures were crafted in “papier mâché”. Fontanini sets were not available for purchase in the United States until 1973. Since then, interest in new and retired Fontanini pieces has accelerated dramatically.