Santons: small nativity figures made of clay

The nativity scene that was set up every year at the Notre Dame Cathedral was crafted by artisans from the city of Arles, in Provence. The display, measuring about 15 meters in length, is made up of hundreds of clay figurines called santons.

The santons, derived from the Provençal santoun (little saint), originated in the French region of Provence.

They are clay figurines that range in height from 2 to 15 centimeters. Their production is artisanal, and the small statues are hand-painted in vibrant colors.

The santons represent the essential characters of a nativity scene - Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and the Three Wise Men - but they don't stop there.

Within Provençal tradition, figures representing the inhabitants of a Provençal village and their professions have been added to the nativity scene: baker, greengrocer, public servant, fisherman, etc.

Shortly after the French Revolution, churches were closed, and public nativity scenes were banned. In order to maintain the tradition and allow families to set up nativity scenes at home, the santons were created.

Initially, they were made from bread dough but soon began to be molded from the red clay of Provence.

With the fame and in order to meet the demand for santons, modern manufacturing processes have been implemented, currently involving 7 steps.

The santonniers (artisans who make the santons) first create a model from fresh clay. This prototype will be used to make a plaster mold from which the santons will also be reproduced using clay.

After being removed from the mold, they are left to dry and baked in an oven at 800°C. The final step is hand painting, which brings the santon to life.

See the entire process in the video below:

There is a high concentration of santons workshops between Marseille, Aubagne, Aix-en-Provence, Arles, and Bouches-du-Rhône.

Despite being reproduced using a mold, the santon that will create the mold is crafted from scratch. Its finishing quality and meticulous level of detailing depend on the talent and dedication of the santonnier.

Experts can even distinguish the work of different santonniers by observing their trademarks and individual styles.

At the Christmas market in the Tuileries Garden, there is a chalet selling santons, an excellent opportunity for those wishing to closely observe or purchase some of these figurines.

Every year, since 1958, the city of Arles hosts the International Santonniers Fair.

The goal is to bring together and showcase the work of santonniers artisans from the Provence region and also from around the world.

The fair in 2021 takes place from 11/13/2021 to 01/23/2022.

Nativity scenes from Parisian churches

Christmas traditions in various regions of France