Oliver Shoemaker with Workshop Accessories, 8 cm

This figure depicts a shoemaker, a traditional Nativity craftsman representing the meticulous and patient work involved in making and repairing footwear. Seated on a stool, the shoemaker is shown at work, holding a shoe to be repaired in one hand and a hammer in the other, ready to work on it with precision. He wears a black apron over his work clothes and has a focused expression as he concentrates on his task. Beside him stands a wooden workbench filled with shoemaking tools and shoes in different colours, including red and green. Boots being worked on at the foot of the stool add further realism to the setting. Within the Nativity scene, the shoemaker symbolises quiet industriousness and dedication to everyday tasks, recalling the dignity of traditional craftsmanship and the importance of every carefully performed gesture, however humble, as part of the spirit of the Nativity.