Presepi del mondo

Origins and personal calling

Carlo Battista Castellini was born in 1944 in Bornato (BS).
Having grown up with a strong religious outlook on life, which has always guided him on his journey, he has always nurtured a love for nativity scenes, passed on to him by his father Francesco. Indeed, for over 25 years, he has been collecting and preserving statues of the most unusual designs from a variety of sources.

The creative space and the first cribs

In 1996, he carved out a space of his own, where he could meditate, create and, inspired by a myriad of images and sensations, craft his first nativity scenes.

Techniques, materials and a passion for craftsmanship

Thanks to his great manual dexterity, he works with wood, polystyrene, plaster and paints; love and passion do the rest.

From the search for a new idea to the diorama

It is impossible to count the hours spent throughout the year studying, creating and bringing a new work to life. The conceptualisation phase requires a great deal of effort because, having already produced so many designs, we do not want to end up with scenes or details that have already been created: we are always on the lookout for new ideas. From the nativity scene, we move on to the diorama, which is characterised by its extremely high level of environmental accuracy, meticulous attention to detail, and ever-increasing depth achieved through the use of perspective, which harmoniously expands the scene. Narrow streets, alleys, ascents, descents, staircases, arches, walls, fountains, steps, plants, mountains, vases and amphorae, every detail seems to have sprung from the scene itself and offers the viewer a complete, magical, almost historical vision, allowing them to immerse themselves, accompanied by soft lighting and gentle music, in a magical and religious atmosphere.

A constantly expanding collection

The number of his works has grown rapidly over the past few years; to date, there are around 1,200 nativity scenes and dioramas of all types, materials and sizes, representing around 100 countries around the world.

The original statues and field research

The collection of original statues from various countries, the only items the artist purchases, is sourced directly by him during his travels or through friends, acquaintances and missionaries.

The home gallery and the annual exhibition

Although he received no funding, Carlo Battista Castellini set up his own gallery within his home and thus organised his exhibition.
Since 1997, this exhibition has opened its doors every December, allowing him to share this great passion.