Edited by IPC Prešov | Košice and Žilina Regions
Woodcarving of Bethlehem
Country: Slovakia
Region: Žilina Region
Type of inspiration: Visual arts
Inspiracja
The fact that Slovakia has preserved a number of monuments in the form of old nativity scenes or altars in churches highlights the long tradition of carving art in Slovakia, which requires not only talented hands, but also artistic and spiritual sensitivity. The origins of the woodcarving craft are not immediately associated with the artistic treatment of wood, but rather the treated wood was used for more practical purposes. It was not until later in the Gothic period that the first sacred works appeared in the form of altars and statues. From this period onwards, woodcarving was like a seesaw. The wood was gilded or coloured, and later the wood was treated to resemble metal or stone. Woodcarving also went through a period of degradation, when wooden products were used only as models. Eventually, woodcarving found its prominent position, especially in central Europe, where various guilds were founded, which later replaced the carving schools themselves.
In the past, Slovak folk carving was only a kind of supplement to the work of beekeepers, shepherds or miners, who depicted themes from their environment or drew on religious traditions. Today, we can encounter woodwork on a "non-amateur level" in all its forms and shapes, values and purposes.
A very good example is the author of the well-known nativity scene in Rajecká Lesná, Jozef Pekar, who inherited his skills from his father, who was a cabinetmaker and later perfected his skills under the guidance of master carver Jozef Breštianský. After his retirement in 1980, he decided that he wanted to leave behind something great and so the Slovak Nativity Scene in Rajecka Lesna was born, which he worked on for 15 years.
This crib is unique in that it not only represents the birthplace of Jesus Christ - the town of Bethlehem, but the author of this exceptional work also took into account Slovak history. It can be considered as a kind of "5D map", where he mapped all the historical regions of Slovakia and their monuments - the castles of Devín, Bratislava, Trenčín, Orava, the cathedrals in Nitra, Trnava, Spišská Kapitula, Košice and others. In the background is Kriváň, one of the Tatra peaks, which is a symbol of the Slovak landscape. The work itself is shocking in its dimensions: it is 8.5 m long, 2.5 m wide and 3 m high. In total, there are about 300 figures, more than half of which are moving.
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