The eighteenth century Neapolitan crib had among its components: the theatre, especially the comic opera, and the realism together with the fashion and the cultural sours of that century. Theatricality was increased in comparison with that of the baroque crib, thanks to the extreme flexibility of the iron and tow manikins and thanks to the disposition to reproduce Naples ( with its squares, its market places, its small outdoor concerts, its taverns ) in the scenographies and in the scenes. The eighteenth century was the golden age for the crib art. Naples became again the capital of a kingdom, one of the most brilliant towns in Europe during the Illuministic period. This was the century that saw the flourishing of arts, philosophy, economy, law, culture, and the crib art flourished just when Illuminism was trying to pull down all the Christian principles. But the crib had become secularized adding new characters and components that nothing had to do with the sacred scene. The group of the Mystery was set against a brackground of a pagan ruined temple and the characters, whether herdsmen, countrymen, beggars or patricians wore the costumes of the provinces of the kingdom. The crib was just the mirror of the every-day life, with the miseries of common people and the pomp and splendour of nobilility. The art overcame the representation of the Mystery, and each scene in the crib was a melting of sacred and profane, a confusion of epochs, an intrusion of exotic elements, a more or less evident symbolism such as the ruined temple near the cave, recalling the most recent archeological discoveries and standing for the triumph of Christianity over paganism; the Angels near the gold and near the luxurious, gorgeous costumes of the Magi, or their retinue and of the noble people, announcing to the shepherds the birth of Our Lord who will rescue them from the old slavery. All that was possible just because there was a great flourishing of sculptors such as G. Sammartino, Lorenzo Vaccaro and also L. Mosca, F. Celebrano, M. Bottiglieri, the Ingaldis, N. Vassallo, just to remember the most important ones. They did not only built monumental, marble works or precious things for churches and public buildings, but they also carved in wood or moulded in clay little heads of shepherdes. The crib art also encouraged several kinds of craftmanship with skilful artisans who worked in a creative way in their shops, collaborating with their apprentices, with their workmen and with specialized artisans such as silk workes, tailors, joiners, chisellers, silversmiths, etc.
The eighteenth, Neapolitan crib was defined by the scholar Raffaello Causa in his book "Il Presepe Cortese" where he asserted: "typical voice of the artistic culture of Naples in the eighteenth century.... the crib may be said "cortese" in order to differentiate it from the old crib for churches... it shows itself be a wordly, laical, disenchanted experience, a fashionable play of the court, of the aristocracy and of the wealthy bourgeoisie..... amusement for the �lite during the idle hours of the day...". As a consequence, the fable of the eighteenth century crib was concluded with the decline of this so refined society of strange taste.
With the progressive ascent of the middle class, clay statuettes of different qualities and sizes, within the reach of the most and in proportion of smaller scenographies, were produced. The crib became the mirror of common life so rich of interest and activities.
As for the distinctive character of the nowadays crib, we must observe that prevailed the tendency to draw inspiration from the eighteenth century, as the golden age of the crib art with its manufacture of scenographies, shepherds, animals, accessories and expression of "beauty" tout-court. Also the nineteenth century, with its realistic sceneries and with its terra-cotta shepherds, has today its many followers who are particularly keen on usages, crafts and tools now disappeared. Also "the modern" miniature cribs, full of statuettes ( moschelle ) a few inches high, inspire excellent artists and artisans.
In the last century, wich has gone through two world wars, the interest in crib has been soothed. However in the last thirty years the crib is undergoing a happy season thanks to skilful, fanciful artists, artisans, hobbysts and also thanks to the interest of collectors, fans, sympathizers, and crowds of people fond of crib who every year in December visit crib according to an old custom.