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AConversation
with the Collector
By RYAN M. TRACY
Image:
Italy (Lecce)
, 2011, Claudio Riso, papier-mache, metal, wood, and straw. The James and Emilia Govan Crèche Collection, 2016:10-25.
I
n 2016, the Loyola University Museum of Art celebrates
its ninth year of exhibiting
Art and Faith of the Crèche:
The Collection of James and Emilia Govan
. Consisting
of over 500 pieces, the Govan collection showcases unique
crèches from around the world, drawing in local and out
of town visitors during the holiday season.
James Govan, the curator and founder of the collection,
was born in Detroit but moved to the town of Harrisburg
in Southern Illinois at a young age. After growing up in
Illinois, Govan received his undergraduate degree from
Wabash College in Indiana. He then went on to pursue his
studies in International Relations at Columbia University in
New York City. James met his wife Emilia while studying at
Columbia. Emilia was involved in a variety of fields over the
course of her career, including a seven year stint as a lawyer
after receiving her law degree fromGeorgetown University.
James and Emilia collaborated in building and curating
their collection of crèches together over the years. “Like
many collectors, my wife and I began to collect crèches by
happenstance,” Govan said. “We acquired a nice traditional
porcelain nativity from Italy for our first Christmas together.
A few years later, we saw a second small, whimsical nativity
from Portugal that caught our eyes.” When they saw a third
crèche that interested them, the question was asked what
they could possibly do with three crèches? “Well, we could
collect them,” Govan answered. “So we acquired it, and that
was the seed that started the collection.”
The Govan collection formed slowly over the early years.
His work with the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID) contributed to the growth of the