King's attendant
second half 18th century
Medium
Polychromed terracotta head and wooden limbs; body of wire wrapped in tow; silk and satin garments with silver and gold metallic thread; dagger with silver blade and gold cross guard in paper sheath
Dimensions
a) H: 16 1/8 in. (41 cm); b) Diam: 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm.); c) L: 3 7/16 in. (8.6 cm)
Classification
Crèche
Culture
Italian, Naples
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Loretta Hines Howard, 1964
Accession Number
64.164.88a–c
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the *King's Attendant*, a masterful polychromed terracotta figure crafted by Neapolitan sculptor Lorenzo Mosca the second half of the18th century. This piece belongs to the tradition of *presepi* (crèches), the elaborate Neapolitan nativity scenes brought the Christmas story to life with astonishing realism. Standing just over 16 inches tall, the attendant—likely a regal courtier in a nativity tableau—captures the opulence of Bourbon-era Naples, where artisans like Mosca blended sculpture, fashion, and theater into devotional art. Mosca's technique shines in the figure's construction: ...