To understand Franck Di Luca's approach, one must go back to the origins of the Christmas nativity scene. His work lies at the crossroads of two centuries-old traditions.

Naples and "The Art of Decoration": Although it all began in the 13th century with Saint Francis of Assisi, it was in 18th-century Naples that the Nativity scene (the "presepe") emerged from the churches to become a major art form. The Italian school distinguished itself at that time by its taste for complex architecture and urban realism. It depicted crumbling facades, Roman and Baroque ruins, and plays of light and shadow. Having Neapolitan roots, it is from this demanding school that he draws his inspiration.

Provence and "The Intimacy of the Provençal Farmhouse": Nativity scenes appeared in Provence in the 18th century in the wake of the Counter-Reformation. The nativity scene became "domestic," centered on the ideal village and its inhabitants ("lou santoun," little saint, in Provençal). It is the art of emotion, local tradition, and rural simplicity.

The idea is therefore to link these two stories by offering the figurines a setting of striking realism, inspired by the decorative techniques of the Italian masters.

It is no longer just a matter of introducing characters, but of making them live in a believable world, where every stone seems to have survived the centuries.