Carnegie Trees Take on World’s Fair Flair
PITTSBURGH — Celebrate the season with one of the great Pittsburgh holiday traditions: the Carnegie Trees at Carnegie Museum of Art.
For the 51st year, the museum’s Hall of Architecture will dazzle visitors with seven grand, 20-foot trees, flanking the museum’s perennial favorite, the Neapolitan presepio, a beautiful 18th-century Nativity. Each tree will be stylishly decorated in the theme of world’s fairs, celebrating Inventing the Modern World: Decorative Arts at the World’s Fairs, 1851-1939, now on view in the Heinz Galleries at Carnegie Museum of Art.
As in past years, several organizations from around Pittsburgh have lent their own creative flair to each of the trees. This year’s participants include The Women’s Committee of Carnegie Museum of Art, Carnegie Libraries of Pittsburgh, The Andy Warhol Museum, The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and The Frick Art & Historical Center.
Along with the Carnegie Trees, a visit to the museum’s Neapolitan presepio, one of the finest Nativity scenes of its kind, has been a Pittsburgh holiday tradition since 1957.
Handcrafted between 1700 and 1830, the presepio teems with lifelike figures and colorful details that re-create the Nativity within a vibrant and detailed panorama of 18th-century Italian village life.
More than 100 superbly modeled human and angelic figures, along with animals, accessories and architectural elements, cover 250 square feet and create a memorable depiction of the Nativity as seen through the eyes of Neapolitan artisans and collectors.
Preview this year’s holiday splendor with the Women’s Committee. An opening celebration will be held Nov. 28 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in The Hall of Architecture and Hall of Sculpture.
There is a fee for the opening celebration.
For more information, or to RSVP, please call 412-622-3325.