The Angel Tree: Celebrating Christmas at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

by Metropolitan Museum of Art, Mary Jane Pool, Elliott Erwitt (Photographer)

The Angel Celebrating Christmas at The Metropolitan Museum of Art showcases the magnificent collection of Neapolitan Baroque angels and crèche figures that has thrilled visitors from across the country each Christmas season for more than 50 years. New fiber-optic lighting and a new tree now enhance its beauty.
More than 50 angels and 100 crèche figures, many sculpted by major artists of the period, represent all who came to worship the Babe. This is a true family book, starting with the story of the Nativity and then focusing on the scene in large, gloriously reproduced pictures of the angels and of townspeople and animals, shepherds and their flocks, kings and grand ladies.

128 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2011

About the author

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, (colloquially, the “Met”) is the largest art museum in the United States.

It was founded on April 13, 1870, "to be located in the City of New York, for the purpose of establishing and maintaining in said city a Museum and library of art, of encouraging and developing the study of the fine arts, and the application of arts to manufacture and practical life, of advancing the general knowledge of kindred subjects, and, to that end, of furnishing popular instruction."

Reviews

[Linda Lipko · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunningly beautiful book. Each time I visit the Met at Christmas and see this exquisite creche, I am in awe at the magnitude and splendor of detail. The book was fascinating. I appreciated the in depth history of Neoplitan artists who meticulously hand carved the individual figures with such fastidious, detailed execution..

[John Peel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Angel Tree at the Met Art Museum is a Christmas tradition. This book celebrates it with scores of beautiful photos and commentary. Absolutely lovely.

[Judee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a Christmas gift and really enjoyed it. Lovely photos and some background about the artists that created the angels, as well as the family that began this tradition. Quick little read and lots of beautiful photos.