OUR COLLECTION — LATIN AMERICA — DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 266. GIFINA NATIVITY
This Nativity scene was handcrafted in the Dominican Republic by a master artist named Yomaira. She has been perfecting the process of making these figures for 20 years. Each figure is intentionally made without a face so as not to single out any of the distinct ethnic groups that live throughout the Caribbean. Consequently, these faceless dolls have become a symbol of cultural harmony.
This scene features Joseph standing next to Mary on a hardwood base. Mary holds her baby Jesus in a blanket. Both figures wear traditional biblical dress. Joseph stands 9.25 inches tall while the base measures 11 inches long.
The Holy Family is joined by a Caribbean villager who bears a gift of fruits and vegetables. Her generous basket includes: bananas, carrots, corn, eggplant, melons, papaya, passion fruit, and pineapple. She stands 9 inches tall. Also joining the scene are three Caribbean Damita girls bearing gifts of flowers and an angel girl with white wings and halo, holding an open book. A flowering tree behind the figures stands 11.5 inches tall; the gold blooms on the tree could double for the Nativity star!
The figures are made from porcelanicron, a unique material developed by a chemical engineer specifically for this type of figure. The artist individually colors small batches of the porcelanicron with organic dyes so all colors are created separately and are unique. Since the colors are custom-mixed into the material, no paint is ever added to the figures.
While several brands of faceless dolls have emerged from the Dominican Republic, the Gifina brand maintains the highest quality. Yomaira leads the group of Gifina artisans with her careful attention to tiny details. Yomaira’s assistants each specialize in specific parts of a figure, such as arms or flowers or hair. Each piece is made completely by hand with no factory molds to facilitate any type of mass production, so every figure is unique. From start to finish, each figure may take as many as several weeks to create.
Yomaira has recently faced health problems requiring constant bed rest. She has ceased making her Gifina brand figures, so they will become very rare as existing supply disappears.
This scene features Joseph standing next to Mary on a hardwood base. Mary holds her baby Jesus in a blanket. Both figures wear traditional biblical dress. Joseph stands 9.25 inches tall while the base measures 11 inches long.
The Holy Family is joined by a Caribbean villager who bears a gift of fruits and vegetables. Her generous basket includes: bananas, carrots, corn, eggplant, melons, papaya, passion fruit, and pineapple. She stands 9 inches tall. Also joining the scene are three Caribbean Damita girls bearing gifts of flowers and an angel girl with white wings and halo, holding an open book. A flowering tree behind the figures stands 11.5 inches tall; the gold blooms on the tree could double for the Nativity star!
The figures are made from porcelanicron, a unique material developed by a chemical engineer specifically for this type of figure. The artist individually colors small batches of the porcelanicron with organic dyes so all colors are created separately and are unique. Since the colors are custom-mixed into the material, no paint is ever added to the figures.
While several brands of faceless dolls have emerged from the Dominican Republic, the Gifina brand maintains the highest quality. Yomaira leads the group of Gifina artisans with her careful attention to tiny details. Yomaira’s assistants each specialize in specific parts of a figure, such as arms or flowers or hair. Each piece is made completely by hand with no factory molds to facilitate any type of mass production, so every figure is unique. From start to finish, each figure may take as many as several weeks to create.
Yomaira has recently faced health problems requiring constant bed rest. She has ceased making her Gifina brand figures, so they will become very rare as existing supply disappears.