The result of a centuries-old technique (the first known wooden crib dates back to 1252!), carved wooden Christmas cribs are widespread throughout the world, but the best carvers are to be found in Val Gardena. A veritable ancestral art in this Italian valley, carving on lime, ash or even olive wood is at its most beautiful.

Many families devote themselves to creating statues and, above all, Christmas cribs in carved wood. Working patiently in wood, sculptors create figures of unrivalled finesse. These almost lifelike features are accentuated by careful painting, combining the natural color of the wood with vivid colors and, for the richest finishes, inserts of gold leaf.

Discover in this video, how wooden Christmas figures are made.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWUgdzazLag

Masters of their craft, the carvers have adapted to the times, offering not only traditional representations of the Nativity, but also modern cribs with flowing curves and lighter paintwork.

The result is of such high quality that Val Gardena's carved wooden nativity scenes are now popular the world over, and regularly win international awards. Over 40 years ago, Bel-Art chose to partner with these master carvers to bring you a top-quality collection.

Here are just a few examples of the wooden cribs you can admire in our store in Banneux, Belgium.

We offer around ten collections, so please visit our website or drop in for a chat!

The Ulrich Christmas group (above) is a reference in this domain. The figurines carved from linden wood and painted by hand are of an incredible delicacy. The collection contains more than fifty figurines, all of which can be purchased individually.

The komet christmas nativity (above) with its figures in fluid shapes and pastel shades.

Christmas nativity kohler : an original and modern Christmas group with sleek shapes and warm colours.

The Christmas nativity “Pema” : The Pema Christmas nativity : authenticity. The veins of the wood are visible under the thin layer of paint, a very natural look.