Fanal with Christ Child resting and holding a red fruit

Christ Child is leaning on His back and holding a red fruit with His left hand. He is surrounded by animals recalling the moment of His Birth, a donkey and an ox. In addition, a number of wax cloth flowers and leaves, moss and golden ears embellish the inside. A highlight is a bunch of orange blossoms on the surface. Conifer branches and different flowers form a wreath around the fanal.
The Museo de Artes de la Universidad de los Andes, Santiago de Chile, exhibits a group of 16 "fanales". A "fanal" is a structure that consists of a wooden base on which a bell glass or bell jar is mounted, used in Europe during the eighteenth century for scientific and decorative purposes. When transferred to Latin America it takes a totally different character: a “fanal” becomes a devotional object from the moment a religious Christian figure is placed in the inside.