Grulich nativity figure "Baby Jesus"
second half of the 20th century
hand carved wood, original paint
3,5 cm (1,4 inches) long, 2,5 cm (1 inch) wide
Very good condition.
Grulich nowadays called Králiky in the Czech Republic is located at the foot of the Eagle Mountains in Northern Bohemia. Emperor Joseph II. forbade any christmas cribs in churches. After that at the end of the eighteenth century around the grulich area began a massive production of nativity figures for home use. There are many variants of the Grulicher figures, some are roughly, others very fine carved. The wood carvers in the Adlergebirge were mostly seasonal workers. Women and children painted the figures. The Grulicher crip production goes down during the upcoming industrialization at the end of the 19th century.
