In depth
What it is
"I presepi inediti di Goffredo Gaeta" is a distributed exhibition of ceramic Nativity scenes, set up in Faenza in two nearby venues: Casa Museo Raffaele Bendandi, at via Baldassarre Manara 17, and the historic Bottega d'Arte Gaeta, at via Firenze 445. It brings together previously unseen works by the master ceramist from Faenza, Goffredo Gaeta, who passed away in 2022, created over a long career devoted primarily to sacred art and never before exhibited to the public.
What makes it special
What makes this route unique is the technique used to create the Nativity scenes: lustre majolica, one of the most delicate and distinctive processes of Faenza ceramics, which gives the colours shimmering metallic reflections. Each figure is modelled and decorated by hand, a unique piece, without mass-produced moulds. The works on display number thirty-five, divided between the two venues: at the Bottega, the historic heart of Gaeta's production, they interact with the spaces of the artist's workshop; at Casa Bendandi they have been arranged in an original Christmas tree configuration, designed for this exhibition by architect Elena Querzola. The unusual pairing with the house museum of the celebrated Faenza seismologist Raffaele Bendandi adds an extra element of curiosity to the route.
Origins and history
Goffredo Gaeta, born in Faenza in 1937 and died in 2022, was one of the leading figures in Italian artistic ceramics in the post-war period, trained at the Istituto Statale d'Arte per la Ceramica in Faenza, the Accademia di Belle Arti in Bologna and the Istituto d'Arte in Florence. During his long career he created primarily works of sacred art, from stained glass windows to portals and large sculptures for churches in Italy and abroad, repeatedly addressing the theme of the Nativity with a personal language. This exhibition, curated by his daughters Claudia and Flavia Gaeta together with Paola Pescerelli Lagorio, president of Casa Museo Bendandi, was created to introduce the public to a body of nativity scenes made over the years and previously unseen, kept in the family workshop. This is the first time these works have been presented together in a distributed route through the city.
What to see
The route is divided between two very different places. At Bottega d'Arte Gaeta, the old workshop that Goffredo Gaeta had converted from a former early twentieth-century hydroelectric power station, the Nativity scenes can be admired alongside the spaces where his works were created, in direct dialogue with the artist's history. At Casa Museo Raffaele Bendandi the lustre majolica figures are instead arranged in a scenic Christmas tree display, designed for the spaces of the home that belonged to the celebrated earthquake scholar. In both venues one can observe the details of the lustre technique, the faces, the drapery and the metallic colours typical of this particular Faenza majolica; at the end of the exhibition the works can also be purchased.
When and how to visit
The exhibition is usually held during Advent, between mid-November and the end of December. In the most recent edition it was open from 15 November to 21 December 2025, with an opening on 15 November at 4 pm at Casa Bendandi, and opening hours on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 4 pm to 6.30 pm and Sundays from 10 am to 1 pm, with the exception of 14 December. Admission has always been free in both venues. For the next edition it is advisable to check updated dates and times on the channels of the Museo Goffredo Gaeta and Casa Museo Raffaele Bendandi, as they may vary from previous years.
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