For over a century, the Fontanini family has been making nativity figures in Bagna di Lucca, Italy. Originally made of papier-mache, in the 1950's they changed over to resin, making their figurines more child-friendly. The quality and care given to their production is intense. When the figures are cast, they are cleaned and trimmed by hand; next they are delivered to artists, who paint them by hand in their own homes; then they are returned to the factory and are taken to other artisans who then antique the pieces, again in their own homes before being returned to Fontanini for inspection and packaging. This continues the tradition of home-based artistry - an age old practice in Italy.