The Black Horseman A piece of history

The Black Horseman

This black horseman figurine is part of a Giner nativity scene or crib, so named because it was made in the workshop belonging to crib carver and founder of the Tyrolean crib Johann Giner. The figurine itself doesn’t appear to be anything special at first glance. In fact, it’s not even all that beautifully carved – it almost looks as if the carver was in a hurry or was working half-heartedly. However, what the figurine stands for and the context in which it was made is fascinating.

Born in Thaur in the Austrian state of Tyrol, Johann Giner (1756–1833) lived during the age of the Enlightenment and the Napoleonic Wars, an era when people were sceptical of religion. Expensive religious art and opulent Christmas festivals had fallen out of favour among the powers that be. Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II even banned the public display of excessively decorated nativity scenes in Vienna in 1782. Crib carver Giner found himself desperate for orders. Before long, he was only carving objects for himself

and his work was very different to that of his predecessors from the extravagant Baroque period. Instead of carving kings and saints, he made simple figurines of ordinary people – shepherd boys wearing everyday clothes or, as pictured here, even horse riders playing trumpets forming part of the Three Wise Men’s entourage. Giner’s works are full of oriental exoticism and he was influenced by the wars that Austria waged in the 17th century to defend itself against the Ottoman Empire. Far from appearing rigid and formal as they did during the Baroque period, the figures look full of life and even seem to express feelings. The shepherds stand together in groups talking and can be seen leading children by the hand and letting angels show the way. Meanwhile, the horses stand defiantly on their hind legs, their riders sounding their trumpets with puffed-out cheeks.

The people liked what they saw and Giner’s figurines and nativity scenes quickly became bestsellers.

Crib figurine: black horseman

Age: approx. 220 years Origin: Thaur near Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria Material: painted wood

Diocesan Museum, Brixen/Bressanone

+ Located in Hofburg palace in Brixen, the Diocesan Museum houses valuable religious artworks from the Middle Ages and the modern period as well as the most important collection of nativity scenes in the world. Displayed across more than 80 cabinets, the exhibition includes ivory and terracotta cribs as well as a scene dating from the 18th century comprising more than 5,000 figurines.

+ Hofburgplatz 2, 39042 Brixen, +39 0472 830 505

www.hofburg.it