Nativity Scenes and Figures from Val Gardena, 17th–20th Century

The Christmas exhibition at the Museum Gherdëina offers insights into the rich tradition of Val Gardena nativity art over the past four centuries.
 
Guided tours of the Christmas exhibition with Dr. Wolfgang Moroder:
on December 19th & 26th, 2024, and January 2nd, 2025, at 4:00 PM (free of charge)
 
 
The exhibition showcases a touching variety of folk nativity productions from the 18th and 19th centuries, featuring free-standing shepherd figures, sheep, and horseback-riding kings. Visitors can also admire treasures from the Baroque and Biedermeier periods, as well as some masterful nativity compositions from the 20th century. Highlights include a partially preserved late Gothic Adoration of the Kings (15th century), the original Baroque nativity scene from St. Jakob's Church (1760), and the richly detailed winged altarpiece-style nativity by Luis Insam (1947). Candle-bearing angels and candleholders from the 19th century, painted in vibrant colors, are integrated into the thematic context of the Nativity story as light-bearing objects.
 
 
 

Nativity Scene with Figures by Rudolf Moroder from 1910

A particularly special nativity scene is that of Rudolf Moroder Lenert (St. Ulrich 1877 – Galicia 1914), which includes more than 50 intricately carved figures. These figures stand out vividly against the backdrop landscape painting by Moroder Lusenberg.
Rudolf Moroder became the artistic director of the "Church Art Workshop of the Moroder Brothers" in 1902. In 1900, he was awarded a gold medal at the Paris World's Fair for his sculpture group "Saint Elisabeth with the Beggar," located in the parish church of Ortisei. In 1910, he carved the nativity scene as a wedding gift for his wife, Josefine Leimstädtner. The nativity was passed down within the family until it returned to Val Gardena from Switzerland in 2022 and has since been displayed at the Museum Gherdëina. Rudolf Moroder tragically died at the age of 37 on December 22, 1914, at the Russian front in Galicia.

The museum extends its gratitude to Dr. Wolfgang Moroder for lending the nativity scene and to the private sponsors who funded the new display case: Insam Margherita y Faust Moroder, Ezio Prinoth, Hans Schenk, Filip and Robert Stuflesser, Adi Demetz, and Franz Rabanser.