The Calcata Nativity Scene (Marijcke van der Maden exhibition)

A one-of-a-kind nativity scene

In the heart of Calcata, a tiny village perched on a tuff spur in the province of Viterbo, the Christmas season comes alive around a truly unique work of art: the nativity scene by Marijcke van der Maden, exhibited every year at the Granarone, an ancient 17th-century granary located on Via di Porta Segreta. What makes this Nativity so special is not just the craftsmanship, but the fact that the figures surrounding it are not anonymous shepherds: each one portrays a real resident of Calcata, past or present, captured in their daily gestures.

The artist and the village

Marijcke van der Maden is a Dutch artist, born in Veldhoven, who moved to Calcata in the 1980s, choosing to live in an old cellar carved into the tuff rock. Internationally recognized for her dolls and puppets inspired by fairy tales, medieval stories, and legends, she has made the village her home and her primary source of inspiration. The Granarone nativity scene is the result of a deep bond with the community that welcomed her: a tribute, figurine by figurine, to the people who have lived and continue to live in this place.

Technique and materials

Each character is modeled entirely by hand using a wood-pulp paste, from which expressive faces, hands, and feet take shape. The bodies are then dressed in precious fabrics like velvet and silk, often belonging to the very people represented—a detail that transforms each figure into an affectionate relic. The result is a living scene where the sacred representation blends with the intimate history of the village.

A new figurine every year

Tradition dictates that every year the artist adds a new character, a portrait of a village resident whose identity remains a secret until the inauguration on December 8th. Thus, current residents and the faces of those who left Calcata in the 1950s, when the old village was declared unsafe, coexist around the Nativity: a choral story that, one Christmas after another, preserves the community's memory.

Christmas in Calcata

During the holidays, the Granarone and the village streets come alive with activities designed especially for families: creative workshops for children, concerts, street performances, and social gatherings, leading up to the Befana on January 6th. Visiting the nativity scene is a perfect opportunity to discover one of the most evocative villages in the Lazio region, with its alleys carved into the tuff, artist workshops, and views over the Treja Valley. It is an unmissable event in the town of Calcata and throughout the Tuscia region during the Christmas season.