When December comes around, Christmas decorations make a comeback and brighten up our daily lives. In the south of France, we add a unique touch to Christmas celebrations with traditional “santons”, little figurines with a big story behind them.

What exactly is a santon?

A santon is a small, handmade clay figurine. They decorate Christmas cribs. The figures usually represent the Holy Family, but also traditional trades, such as vegetable sellers, bakers, shepherds or other personalities from everyday village life. And they're quite small, generally between 2 and 15 centimetres high. 

Santons: a recent history?

Well, not really. They've been around in various forms for hundreds of years, but it was in the late 18th century that they first took on their clay form, thanks to Marseille artist Jean-Louis Lagnel. He is generally credited with inventing the santon as we know it today, although it wasn't until after his death in 1822 that they came to be known as “santons”. Indeed, in Lagnel's day, figurines were not yet baked during the production process, and therefore did not last as long as they do today.

The end of the 18th century? It smells like the French Revolution!

Indeed, good point. After the French Revolution, Christmas cribs were banned and churches closed. Making these little saints was therefore a way of secretly maintaining religious traditions, at the risk of being guillotined, of course.  The word Santon comes from the Provençal “santoun” and translates literally as “little saint”, but the emphasis is just as much on the other village characters, as well as on Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. These cribs are meant to represent the ideal Provencal village, showing the daily life of its inhabitants.

How is a santon made?

With a lot of patience! Each stage in the making of a santon is carried out in accordance with a Charter of respect for traditional manufacturing techniques. It's respect for these techniques and traditions that has earned santon makers their status as métiers d'Art! The santon craftsman sculpts the figurine in clay. He then casts it in plaster in two parts, and makes several other figurines from the plaster form. The santons are then dried, baked and hand-painted, usually in very bright colors. Santon-makers often go to great lengths to create the nativity scene, building buildings, using local products for trees and plants, and dressing the figurines. Each creation requires thought and time. Costumes, trades, architecture, Provencal traditions and even the faces of the santons... everything is researched and thought through, revealing the santonnier's unique expertise. From carving to painting, the santon is shaped, worked and sublimated by the santonnier, before being brought to life in lifelike scenes in the Christmas cribs.

Where to find santons?

In Christmas cribs all over France, but especially in the south, where they originate from Provence. Santon fairs abound in December in the towns and villages of southern France. The town of Aix-en-Provence holds its own santon fair, created by Paul Fouque in 1934. It's the famous Foire aux Santons, where you'll find exhibits by local santon makers.

And if you don't want to wait for the Foire aux Santons? You can always find santons from the most traditional to the most original on our website.

Santons Fouque is the fruit of four generations of santon makers. Know-how handed down from one generation to the next to create unique, iconic santons like the famous “Coup de Mistral ©”, recognized by collectors as a masterpiece of santon art!

Related articles