Bauta: An extremely popular traditional carnival mask in the original Venetian style. Some historians attribute the origin of masquerade celebrations to festivities surrounding the Venetian Republic’s conquest of lands in the eastern Mediterranean, but there is little evidence to help us understand the original motivations behind this curious tradition. This Republic was small, with inhabitants within the region of approximately 150,000 people. 3. These generous licenses represented an outlet for tensions and ill-feeling that was created in society because of the strict limits imposed by morality and the public order of the Republic of Venice. Author: Samantha Singh Back in the 13th Century, Venice was greater than just a small metropolis in Italy. By the 16th century, Venetians were celebrating Carnevale in style! The Carnival of Venice (Carnevale di Venezia), held in Venice, Italy, which is famous for its traditional display of venetian masks and costumes.It is said that covering the face in public was a uniquely Venetian response to one of the most rigid class hierarchies in European history.It is one of the oldest and biggest festivals in Venice, Italy. No one seems to know exactly when Venetians started wearing masks to conceal their identity. Gold Venetian Masks. The word ‘carnival’ or ‘carnivale’ in Italian is believed to be derived from the Latin words ‘carnem levare’ or ‘carnelevarium’ which mean to take away or remove meat! Today, Venetian masks are mainly associated with Carnevale di Venezia or the Carnival of Venice. Artisans have passed down mask making skills over … The Origins and History of Carnival - The World’s Oldest Party! Festivities became The festival declined during the 18th century. Home; History ; Mask types; History: People ready for the Carnival in their masks and costumes. These are more than just colorful souvenirs — they come with a story. Mask-wearing has been a social custom in Venice since the 13th century, when masked men threw eggs at women during Carnival. Starring Tom Cruise, who plays the part of a New York City doctor. The art and history of Venetian mask making tradition. Related. Because many Venetian nobles used to go to gamble wearing masks not to get recognize by their creditors, in 1703 masks were prohibited in all Ridotti , which was the Venetian gamble houses. The Venetian carnival masks have a different style, meaning, and character. From the thirteenth century, the Venice Carnival history of masks began to be documented with news on their production, schools and construction techniques. Venetian mask Venetian masks are a centuries-old tradition of Venice, Italy. During the Venice Carnivals in the past the streets of Venice were full of the people wearing masks which allowed them to protect their identity and remove any social differences. Masks have always been a central feature of the Venetian carnival.  The Carnival of Venice is a yearly festival that takes place in Venice, Italy. They have been around for hundreds of years and they are mostly worn during the carnival of Venice. Bauta. 1 History of Venetian Masks. Nonetheless, the Republic had a v… The carnival ends with the Christian celebration of Lent, which happens 40 days before Easter on Shrove Tuesday (aka Mardi Gras), which is also the day before Ash Wednesday. History of Venetian masks. It was only during the second half of the 20th century that the Carnival of Venice became an event that attracted sponsors and television stations. After the victory people gathered in San Marco Square and with time this festival official. Carnival, Heritage Venetian masks tradition: the real beauty of Carnevale. Arlecchino. Today they are often made of hand-painted gesso or papier-mâché and decorated with feathers and gems. However, the origins of the festival date back to ancient times. The wearing of masks in Venice is a tradition which goes back as far as the 12th century, and historians speculate that it was a response to one of the most rigid class structures in all of Europe. Originally Venetian masks were made of leather, porcelain or glass and had a practical or symbolic function. I love this concept of using a mask to express yourself and change your story. The Carnival was revived by the Italian government in 1979, and each year the streets and canals swell with medieval masks and the elaborate costumes that accompany them, restoring the city’s rich culture of Venetian masks and pageantry. Commedia dell' Arte was a type of improvisational theatre that was popular form 16th to 18th century but is played even today. But there have been accounts of this as early as the 11th century. Pinterest. The masks are typically worn during the Carnival (Carnival of Venice), but have been used on many other occasions in the past, usually as a device for hiding the wearer's identity and social status. This is the main type of mask worn during the carnival season. CARNIVAL MASKS: Venetian Mask is undoubtedly the symbol of Venice and it represents the Venetian spirit projected towards the party, the transgression and the amusement. The history of Carnival is both recent and ancient. More recently, Venetian carnival masks have been introduced to popular culture in the form of director Stanley Kubrick's Hollywood blockbuster film of 1999, "Eyes Wide Shut" (Tom Cruise & Nicole Kidman). In the eighteenth century, Venice enjoyed the reputation of having the most famous Carnival in the world. Any visit to Venice is filled with ornately painted masks. The rise of the Venetian masks transgressed the carnival. The Carnival_of_Venice article contains a whole section about the different types of masks, while the Venetian_masks article (where it would belong) does not contain such information about the masks. Symbol of the Venetian Carnival, Venice masks represent the essence of an event unique in the world and can be multiform: elegant, refined, lively, mysterious. So much loved for its joyful unbridledness, the carnival was born as a celebration of equality in freedom,eliminating social classes and allowing everyone to derogate from the rules that usually govern social conduct. Today the city uses the carnival to showcase Venetian culture, which includes a long and proud history of mask masking. Venetian Masks Venetian Mask Masks Art Art. Carnival festivities were banned during the reign of Mussolini, but were reinstated during a Venetian cultural revival in the 1970's. Jul 9, 2020 - As a fashion designer, the elaborate and theatrical Carnival masks, especially in the city of Venice, immediately came to my mind as I started making designer face masks for my clients. 7 Places in Asia to celebrate Carnival! Nowadays masks coming from all over the world use to crowd Venetian squares, Saint Mark square and its cafés. Eventually the wearing of masks was so ubiquitous that the government had to pass laws restricting it to the Carnival season. Carnival celebrations were re-established only when the city was under the Austrians. The Venetian Carnival masks guaranteed total anonymity, a sort of levelling of the social divisions that sometimes allowed citizens to even make a public mockery of authority and aristocracy. And have become parts of numerous events that are not even related to carnival, like political meetings, or used in the theatre. The main feature of the Venice Carnival has always been the stunning masquerade costumes and masks. Everyone knows that in Venice masks are a famous part of the city's history and culture, and it is widely thought that Venetian masks were simply used for the famous Carnival of Venice. It was an important part of Italy and was known by the title of the Venetian Republic. Most people believed mask production and wearing started in 1162 after the Republic of Venice had a great victory against the patriarch of Aquileia, Ulrico di Treven. Thi… Article by Elle Anderson West. Some Venetian carnival masks are taken from these plays and they carry the names of the characters that wore them. History of Masks in Venice. Masks have always been a central feature of the Venetian carnival; traditionally people were allowed to wear them between the festival of Santo Stefano (St. Stephen's Day, December 26) at the start of the carnival season and midnight of Shrove Tuesday. With the widespread use of Venetian Carnival outfits and fascinating Venetian carnival masks, a true Carnival business was started and progressively developed in Venice. “Arlecchino” is a half-mask with a short, wide nose, arching eyebrows and a bump or a boil on a forehead. Discover. Finished in decorative paper, this mask is a true work of art and will make an impact at any Masquerade ball or masked Venetian event. Masks that are traditionally used during Venetian Carnival can be divided in to two groups: Commedia dell' Arte masks and Carnival masks. The main types of Venetian masks are the bauta, moretta, gnaga, medico della pesta, pantalone, arlechino, colombina (see further). Masks used to have symbolic and functional features. They have always been around Venice. Besides the traditional masks you can see all type of costumes and are organized many dances, parties, concerts and performances in theatres. More information... People also love these ideas. Masks indeed, were used during a great part of the year: from Saint Stephen’s day, that was the beginning of Venetian Carnival, until midnight of Mardi Gras, the last day of it. But their origin in the city pre-dates Carnival by a few hundred years. Among the many Venetian carnival masks we produce in our workshop, there is, of course, the bauta, the queen of Venetian masks. Discover. February 7, 2020 10:57 am by Francesca Bezzone Views: 263. According to Venetian tradition, Venice’s Carnival got its start in 1162, when townspeople celebrated a victory over the Patriarch of Aquileia. Maskmakers (mascherari) enjoyed a special position in society, with their own laws and their own guild. The Venetian mask has a long history stretching back almost 1,000 years.Nobody knows for sure, when or why the tradition of wearing masks began, but there is a lot of speculation.The history and origins of “the mask” is as mysterious as the mask itself. Popular Venetian Masks An Arlecchino mask, circa 1671. The original carnival allowed all of the classes of society in Venice to have a celebration together, as all faces were covered by masks to shield identities. Venetian Masks: Tradition and History. History of the Venetian Carnival The Venice Carnival is the m ost well- known and one of the oldest festivals annually celebrated in the world. Nov 15, 2013 - Author: Samantha Singh Back in the 13th Century, Venice was greater than just a small metropolis in Italy. Masks have always been an important feature of the Venetian carnival. Check out Amazon for some amazing Venetian Masks here. As the custom grew, Venetians wore masks in public for a period of about six months out of every year. “Brighella” is a half-mask too, often painted green with a pointed nose and somber eyes. Venetian Carnival Masks: A Brief History No one knows exactly when, how, or why Venetians began to wear masks in public. Venetian Carnival Masks. Discover . Today. 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