The Venetian Masks

A very typical Venetian Mask.

One thing that I thought was really cool (and was unaware of before) about Venice is how popular Venetian Masks have become.  All over the city, small shops sell amazingly detailed masks in all colors that have been worn for hundreds of years as a part of Carnival.

Carnival is typically a time before the season of Lent when people let loose and party the most.  In the United States, New Orleans is the home of "Fat Tuesday" and Mardi Gras while Brazil may boast the biggest Carnival in the world.  In Europe, Venice has been a very popular place for Carnival for centuries, as people dating back to the time of the Doge's have donned masks as part of this celebration.

Many choices... should i be a bird or a joker?

According to Wikipedia, which may or may not always be accurate, people were allowed to wear the mask between the festival of Santo Stefano (Dec. 26th) and all the way up until 'Fat Tuesday' - or the day before Ash Wednesday.  They could also be worn during "Ascension" and from October 5th until Christmas... SO VENETIANS COULD SPEND UP TO HALF A YEAR BEHIND THE MASK!  (Very similar to modern day baseball catchers).

Authentic masks were originally papier-mache, and were rather simple in design.  Today they have become much more elaborate (as to entice the tourists), but in their day they were both symbolic and practical... the Venetians didn't want others to really know who they were as they danced, ate, drank, and flirted the night away at elaborate balls and parties.

When Venice became under control of the Austrians in 1798, the city fell into decline and the tradition of Carnival in Venice essentially came to an end.  However, just looking at these masks could bring forth the imagination of glorious evenings and dark figures gliding past in the moonlight.

 

~ J. Twice