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The Carnival of Venice ( it, Carnevale di Venezia) is an annual festival held in
Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400  ...
,
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
. The
carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival t ...
ends on
Shrove Tuesday Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent), observed in many Christian countries through participating in confession and absolution, the ritual burning of the previous year's Holy Week palms, finalizing one's Lenten ...
(''Martedì Grasso'' or
Mardi Gras Mardi Gras (, ) refers to events of the Carnival celebration, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday, which is known as Shrove Tuesday. is French for "Fa ...
), which is the day before the start of
Lent Lent ( la, Quadragesima, 'Fortieth') is a solemn religious moveable feast#Lent, observance in the liturgical calendar commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring Temptation of Jesus, temptation by Satan, according ...
on
Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and falls on the first day of Lent (the six weeks of penitence before Easter). It is observed by Catholics in the ...
. The festival is world famous for its elaborate masks.


History

According to legend, the Carnival of Venice began after the military victory of the
Venetian Republic The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia ...
over the
Patriarch The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and in c ...
of
Aquileia Aquileia / / / / ;Bilingual name of ''Aquileja – Oglej'' in: vec, Aquiłeja / ; Slovenian: ''Oglej''), group=pron is an ancient Roman city in Italy, at the head of the Adriatic at the edge of the lagoons, about from the sea, on the river ...
,
Ulrico di Treven ) , title = Patriarch of Aquileia , image = Ulrico di Treven.jpg , image_size = , alt = , caption = Aquileian denaro with a bust of Ulrich standing facing holding Gospel and crosier , church ...
in the year 1162. In honour of this victory, the people started to dance and gather in San Marco Square. Apparently, this festival started in that period and became official during the Renaissance. In the seventeenth century, the baroque carnival preserved the prestigious image of Venice in the world. It was very famous during the eighteenth century. It encouraged licence and pleasure, but it was also used to protect Venetians from present and future anguish. However, under the rule of the
Holy Roman Emperor The Holy Roman Emperor, originally and officially the Emperor of the Romans ( la, Imperator Romanorum, german: Kaiser der Römer) during the Middle Ages, and also known as the Roman-German Emperor since the early modern period ( la, Imperat ...
and later Emperor of Austria, Francis II, the festival was outlawed entirely in 1797 and the use of masks became strictly forbidden. It reappeared gradually in the nineteenth century, but only for short periods and above all for private feasts, where it became an occasion for artistic creations. After a long absence, the Carnival returned in 1979. The Italian government decided to bring back the history and culture of Venice and sought to use the traditional Carnival as the centrepiece of its efforts. The redevelopment of the masks began as the pursuit of some Venetian college students for the tourist trade. Since then, approximately 3 million visitors have been coming to Venice every year for the Carnival. One of the most important events is the contest for ''la maschera più bella'' ("the most beautiful mask"), which is judged by a panel of international costume and fashion designers. Since 2007 the winners have been: *2007: ''La Montgolfiera'' by Tanja Schulz-Hess *2008: ''Luna park'' by Tanja Schulz-Hess *2009: ''The voyages of Marco Polo'' by Horst Raack and Tanja Schulz-Hess *2010: ''Pantegane'' from England *2011: ''La famille Fabergé'' by Horst Raack, and ''Ommagio a Venezia'' by Paolo and Cinzia Pagliasso and Anna Rotonaia, best costume for the official theme ''19th century'' by Lea Luongsoredju and Roudi Verbaanderd *2012: ''Il servizio da thè del settecento (teatime)'' by Horst Raack, most creative costume '' Oceano'' by Jacqueline Spieweg *2013: ''Alla Ricerca del Tempo Perduto'' by Anna Marconi, most colourful costume ''Luna Park'' *2014: ''Una giornata in campagna'' by Horst Raack, and ''Radice Madre'' by Maria Roan di Villavera *2015: ''Le stelle dell'amore'' by Horst Raack, best costume for the official theme ''La regina della cucina veneziana'' by Tanja Schulz-Hess, most creative costume ''Monsieur Sofa et Madame Coco'' by Lorenzo Marconi *2016: ''I bagnanti di Senegalia'' by Anna and Lorenzo Marconi, best costume for the official theme ''I caretti siciliani'' by Salvatore Occhipinti and Gugliemo Miceli *2017: ''Il signore del bosco'' by Luigi di Como *2018: '' L'amore al tempo del campari'' by Paolo Brando *2019: '' I bambini della luce'' by Horst Raack, best traditional costume ''matrimonio all' Italiana'' by Borboni si Nasce, most original costume ''Paguri'' by Nicola Pignoli and Ilaria Cavalli In February 2020, the Governor of Veneto
Luca Zaia Luca Zaia (born 27 March 1968) is a Venetian and Venetist politician, who has been President of Veneto since 2010. Prior to that, Zaia was President of the Province of Treviso from 1998 to 2005, Vice President of Veneto from 2005 to 2008 and ...
announced the decision to call off the Carnival celebrations in an attempt to contain the spread of the
coronavirus disease Coronavirus diseases are caused by viruses in the coronavirus subfamily, a group of related RNA viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans and birds, the group of viruses cause respiratory tract infections that can range from ...
.


Carnival masks

Masks A mask is an object normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance, or entertainment and often they have been employed for rituals and rights. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and pract ...
have always been an important feature of the Venetian carnival. Traditionally people were allowed to wear them between the festival of ''Santo Stefano'' (
St. Stephen's Day Saint Stephen's Day, also called the Feast of Saint Stephen, is a Christian saint's day to commemorate Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr or protomartyr, celebrated on 26 December in Western Christianity and 27 December in Eastern Chr ...
, December 26) and the end of the carnival season at midnight of
Shrove Tuesday Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent), observed in many Christian countries through participating in confession and absolution, the ritual burning of the previous year's Holy Week palms, finalizing one's Lenten ...
(movable, but during February or early March). As masks were also allowed on Ascension and from October 5 to
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...
, people could spend a large portion of the year in disguise. Maskmakers (''mascherari'') enjoyed a special position in society, with their own laws and their own
guild A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular area. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradesmen belonging to a professional association. They sometim ...
, with their own statute dated 10 April 1436. ''Mascherari'' belonged to the fringe of painters and were helped in their task by sign-painters who drew faces onto plaster in a range of different shapes and paying extreme attention to detail. Venetian masks can be made of leather or porcelain, or by using the original ''glass'' technique. The original masks were rather simple in design, decoration, and often had a symbolic and practical function. Nowadays, most Italian masks are made with the application of
gesso Gesso (; "chalk", from the la, gypsum, from el, γύψος) is a white paint mixture consisting of a binder mixed with chalk, gypsum, pigment, or any combination of these. It is used in painting as a preparation for any number of substrates suc ...
and
gold leaf Gold leaf is gold that has been hammered into thin sheets (usually around 0.1 µm thick) by goldbeating and is often used for gilding. Gold leaf is available in a wide variety of karats and shades. The most commonly used gold is 22-kara ...
and are hand-painted using natural feathers and gems to decorate. However, this makes them rather expensive when compared to the widespread, low-quality masks produced mainly by American factories. This competition accelerates the decline of this historical craftsmanship peculiar to the city of Venice. Several distinct styles of mask are worn in the Venice Carnival, some with identifying names. People with different occupations wore different masks.


Origin

There is less evidence explaining the motive for the earliest mask being worn in Venice. One scholar argues that covering the face in public was a uniquely Venetian response to one of the most rigid class hierarchies in European history. During Carnival, the
sumptuary law Sumptuary laws (from Latin ''sūmptuāriae lēgēs'') are laws that try to regulate consumption. ''Black's Law Dictionary'' defines them as "Laws made for the purpose of restraining luxury or extravagance, particularly against inordinate expendi ...
s were suspended, and people could dress as they liked, instead of according to the rules that were set down in law for their profession and social class. The first documented sources mentioning the use of masks in Venice can be found as far back as the 13th century.Janet Sethre
The souls of Venice
2003. Page 132.
The Great Council made it a crime for masked people to throw scented eggs. These ''ovi odoriferi'' were
eggshell An eggshell is the outer covering of a hard-shelled egg and of some forms of eggs with soft outer coats. Diversity Worm eggs Nematode eggs present a two layered structure: an external vitellin layer made of chitin that confers mechanical ...
s that were usually filled with
rose water Rose water ( fa, گلاب) is a flavoured water made by steeping rose petals in water. It is the hydrosol portion of the distillate of rose petals, a by-product of the production of rose oil for use in perfume. Rose water is also used to fla ...
perfume, and tossed by young men at their friends or at young women they admired. However, in some cases, the eggs were filled with ink or other damaging substances. Gambling in public was normally illegal, except during Carnival; the Great Council document decrees that masked persons were forbidden to gamble. Another law in 1339 forbade Venetians from wearing vulgar disguises and visiting convents while masked. The law also prohibited painting one's face, or wearing false beards or wigs. Near the end of the Republic, the wearing of the masks in daily life was severely restricted. By the 18th century, it was limited only to about three months from December 26. The masks were traditionally worn with decorative beads matching in colour.


Bauta

The ''bauta'' (sometimes referred as ''baùtta'') is a mask, today often heavily
gilded Gilding is a decorative technique for applying a very thin coating of gold over solid surfaces such as metal (most common), wood, porcelain, or stone. A gilded object is also described as "gilt". Where metal is gilded, the metal below was tradi ...
though originally simple stark white, which is designed to comfortably cover the entire face; this traditional
grotesque Since at least the 18th century (in French and German as well as English), grotesque has come to be used as a general adjective for the strange, mysterious, magnificent, fantastic, hideous, ugly, incongruous, unpleasant, or disgusting, and thus ...
piece of art was characterized by the inclusion of an over-prominent nose, a thick
supraorbital ridge The brow ridge, or supraorbital ridge known as superciliary arch in medicine, is a bony ridge located above the eye sockets of all primates. In humans, the eyebrows are located on their lower margin. Structure The brow ridge is a nodule or cre ...
, a projecting "chin line", and no mouth. The mask's beak-like chin is designed to enable the wearer to talk, eat, and drink without having to remove it, thereby preserving the wearer's anonymity. The ''bauta'' was often accompanied by a red or black cape and a tricorn. In the 18th century, together with a black circular or semicircular clasped cape called a ''tabarro'' (and ''zendale'' hood) the ''bauta'' had become a standardized society mask and disguise regulated by the Venetian government. It was obligatory to wear it at certain political decision-making events when all citizens were required to act anonymously as peers. Only citizens (i.e., men) had the right to use the ''bauta''. Its role was similar to the anonymizing processes invented to guarantee general, direct, free, equal and
secret ballot The secret ballot, also known as the Australian ballot, is a voting method in which a voter's identity in an election or a referendum is anonymous. This forestalls attempts to influence the voter by intimidation, blackmailing, and potential vo ...
s in modern democracies. Also, the bearing of weapons along with the mask was specifically prohibited by law and enforceable by the Venetian police. Given this history and its grotesque design elements, the ''bauta'' was usually worn by men, but many paintings done in the 18th century also depict women wearing this mask and tricorn hat. '' The Ridotto'' and ''The Perfume Seller'' by Pietro Longhi are two examples of this from the 1750s.


Colombina

The ''Colombina'' (also known as ''Columbine'' and as a ''Colombino'') is a half-mask, only covering the wearer's eyes, nose, and upper cheeks. It is often highly decorated with gold, silver, crystals, and feathers. It is held up to the face by a baton or is tied with ribbon as with most other Venetian masks. The ''Colombina'' mask is named after a stock character in the ''
Commedia dell'arte (; ; ) was an early form of professional theatre, originating from Italian theatre, that was popular throughout Europe between the 16th and 18th centuries. It was formerly called Italian comedy in English and is also known as , , and . Charact ...
'': ''Colombina'' was a
maidservant A handmaiden, handmaid or maidservant is a personal maid or female Domestic worker, servant. Depending on culture or historical period, a handmaiden may be of slave status or may be simply an employee. However, the term ''handmaiden'' generally ...
and
soubrette A soubrette is a type of operatic soprano voice ''fach'', often cast as a female stock character in opera and theatre. The term arrived in English from Provençal via French, and means "conceited" or "coy". Theatre In theatre, a soubrette is ...
who was an adored part of the Italian theatre for generations. It is said it was designed for an actress because she did not wish to have her beautiful face covered completely. In fact, the ''Colombina'' is entirely a modern creation. There are no historic paintings depicting its use on the stage or in social life. While both men and women now wear this mask, it began as a woman's analog to the bauta.


Medico Della Peste (The Plague Doctor)

The ''Medico della peste'', with its long beak, is one of the most bizarre and recognizable of the Venetian masks, though it did not start out as carnival mask at all but as a method of preventing the spread of disease. The striking design originates from 17th-century French physician
Charles de Lorme Charles de Lorme, Delorme, d'lorm, or De l'Orme (1584 – 24 June 1678),
who adopted the mask together with other sanitary precautions while treating
plague Plague or The Plague may refer to: Agriculture, fauna, and medicine *Plague (disease), a disease caused by ''Yersinia pestis'' * An epidemic of infectious disease (medical or agricultural) * A pandemic caused by such a disease * A swarm of pes ...
victims. The mask is often white, consisting of a hollow beak and round eyeholes covered with crystal discs, creating a bespectacled effect. Its use as a carnival mask is entirely a modern convention, and today these masks are often much more decorative. Although the mask and costume is worn almost exclusively by males, the enhancement in decoration also suggests that women are now more likely to wear the mask and costume than in previous years at the Carnival. The plague doctors who followed De Lorme's example wore the usual black hat and long black cloak as well as the mask, white gloves and a staff (so as to be able to move patients without having to come into physical contact with them). They hoped these precautions would prevent them contracting the disease. The mask was originally beaked with a purpose in congruence with the
miasmatic theory of disease The miasma theory (also called the miasmatic theory) is an obsolete medical theory that held that diseases—such as cholera, chlamydia, or the Black Death—were caused by a ''miasma'' (, Ancient Greek for 'pollution'), a noxious form of "ba ...
practiced at that time: the hollow beak allowed for the containment of flowers and other sweet-smelling substances designed to keep away the foul odors that were thought to spread infection. Those who wear the plague doctor mask often also wear the associated clothing of the plague doctor. The popularity of the Medico della peste among carnival celebrants can be seen as a ''
memento mori ''Memento mori'' (Latin for 'remember that you ave todie'

Moretta/Servetta muta

The ''moretta'' (meaning dark one) or ''servetta muta'' (meaning mute servant woman) was a small strapless black velvet oval mask with wide eyeholes and no lips or mouth worn by patrician women. It derived from the visard mask invented in France in the sixteenth century, but differed in not having a hole to speak through. The mask was only just large enough to conceal a woman's identity and was held in place by the wearer biting on a button or bit (the women wearing this mask were unable to speak, hence ''muta'') and was often finished off with a veil. ''The Rhinoceros'' by Pietro Longhi, sometimes called ''
Clara the rhinoceros Clara ( – 14 April 1758) was a female Indian rhinoceros who became famous during 17 years of touring Europe in the mid-18th century. She arrived in Europe in Rotterdam in 1741, becoming the fifth living rhinoceros to be seen in Europe in mod ...
'', depicts this mask in use in 1751. It fell into disuse about 1760.


Volto (Larva)

The ''volto'' (Italian for ''face'') or ''larva'' (meaning ''ghost'' in Latin) is the iconic modern Venetian mask: it is often made of stark white porcelain or thick plastic, though also frequently gilded and decorated, and is commonly worn with a tricorn and cloak. The "volto" is also quite heavier than a typical mask and has a much tighter fit; many people who experience
claustrophobia Claustrophobia is the fear of confined spaces. It can be triggered by many situations or stimuli, including elevators, especially when crowded to capacity, windowless rooms, and hotel rooms with closed doors and sealed windows. Even bedrooms wit ...
do not wear the "volto" at the Carnival. If worn by a woman, who are the most common wearers of the ''volto'' at the modern festival, it is typically worn with a headdress, scarf, veil, another mask, or a combination of all four. It is secured in the back with a ribbon. Unlike the ''moretta muta'', the ''volto'' covers the entire face of the wearer including the whole of the chin. Unlike a typical mask, it also extends farther back to just before the ears and upwards to the top of the forehead; also unlike the ''moretta muta'', it depicts the nose and lips in simple facial expressions. Unlike the ''bauta'', the ''volto'' cannot be worn while eating and drinking because the coverage of the chin and cheeks is too complete and tight (although the jaw on some original ''commedia'' masks was hinged, this is not a ''commedia'' mask and so is never hinged—the lips are always sealed).


Pantalone

Another classic character from the Italian stage, ''Pantalone'', possibly stemming from the Italian "pianta il leone" referencing the conquests of Venice and the origin of this character, is usually represented as a sad old man with an oversized nose like the beak of a crow with high brows and slanted eyes (meant to signify intelligence on the stage). Like other ''commedia'' masks, ''Pantalone'' is also a half mask. This mask is almost exclusively worn by men, although its popularity at the modern festival has declined .


Arlecchino

''Arlecchino'', meaning ''harlequin'' in Italian, is a
zanni Zanni (), Zani or Zane is a character type of commedia dell'arte best known as an astute servant and a trickster. The Zanni comes from the countryside and is known to be a "dispossessed immigrant worker".Rudlin, John. ''Commedia dell'arte: An Act ...
character of the ''commedia''. He is meant to be a kind of "noble savage", devoid of reason and full of emotion, a peasant, a servant, even a slave. His originally wooden and later leather half-mask painted black depicts him as having a short, blunt, ape-like nose, a set of wide, round, arching eyebrows, a rounded beard, and always a "bump" upon his forehead meant to signify a devil's horn. He is a theatrical counterpoint to and often servant of ''Pantalone'', and the two characters often appeared together on the stage.


Zanni

The ''Zanni'' class of characters is another classic of the stage. Theirs is a half mask in leather, presenting themselves with low forehead, bulging eyebrows and a long nose with a reverse curve towards the end. It is said that the longer the nose, the more stupid the character. The low forehead is also seen as a sign of stupidity. The zanni are often the supporting characters in a commedia performance, often fulfilling similar societal roles as Arlecchino, though with smaller parts


In culture

The short story '' The Cask of Amontillado'', written by
Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wid ...
, is set in Venice during the carnival. Venetian masks feature prominently in the films ''
Eyes Wide Shut ''Eyes Wide Shut'' is a 1999 erotic mystery psychological drama film directed, produced, and co-written by Stanley Kubrick. It is based on the 1926 novella '' Traumnovelle'' (''Dream Story'') by Arthur Schnitzler, transferring the story's set ...
'' and
Marco Bellocchio Marco Bellocchio (; born 9 November 1939) is an Italian film director, screenwriter, and actor. Life and career Born in Bobbio, near Piacenza, Marco Bellocchio had a strict Catholic upbringing – his father was a lawyer, his mother a schoolt ...
's ''
The Witches' Sabbath ''The Witches' Sabbath'' ( it, La visione del sabba, french: La sorcière, also known as ''The Sabbath'') is a 1988 Italian-French drama film written and directed by Marco Bellocchio. It is a pagan film and shows the rituals of witches. Cast * B ...
''. Stores that supplied the masks include both Ca' Macana and Il CanovaccioFrommer's Northern Italy: Including Venice, Milan & the Lakes by John Moretti p. 168 in Venice.


See also

*
Masquerade ball A masquerade ball (or ''bal masqué'') is an event in which many participants attend in costume wearing a mask. (Compare the word " masque"—a formal written and sung court pageant.) Less formal " costume parties" may be a descendant of this t ...


Images

File:Carnival of venice 2020 onderkokturk 01.jpg, Carnival of Venice 2020 File:Carnival of venice 2020 onderkokturk 02.jpg, Carnival of Venice 2020 File:Carnival of venice 2020 onderkokturk 04.jpg, Carnival of Venice 2020 File:Carnival of venice 2020 onderkokturk 05.jpg, Carnival of Venice 2020 File:Carnival of venice 2020 onderkokturk 03.jpg, Carnival of Venice 2020 File:Carnival of venice 2020 onderkokturk 11.jpg, Carnival of Venice 2020 File:Carnival of venice 2020 onderkokturk 07.jpg, Carnival of Venice 2020 File:Carnival of venice 2020 onderkokturk 10.jpg, Carnival of Venice 2020 File:Carnival of venice 2020 onderkokturk 06.jpg, Carnival of Venice 2020 File:Carnival of venice 2020 onderkokturk 09.jpg, Carnival of Venice 2020 File:Carnival of venice 2020 onderkokturk 08.jpg, Carnival of Venice 2020 File:Venezia carnevale 6.jpg File:Venezia carnevale 3.jpg File:Venezia_flickr03.jpg File:Venezia_flickr05.jpg File:Carnevale_venezia_maschere_1.jpg File:Carnival Venice.jpg File:Venezia_flickr06.jpg Image:Venezia carnevale 2.jpg File:Venezia_flickr08.jpg Image:Venezia carnevale 1.jpg Image:Venezia carnevale 11.jpg Image:Venice Paper Mache Mask shop.jpg File:Carnival of Venice. 2018-02-13 13-03-52.jpg File:Carnival of Venice. 2018-02-13 13-10-50.jpg File:Carnival of Venice. 2018-02-13 13-01-47.jpg File:Carnival of Venice. 2018-02-13 12-01-15.jpg File:Carnival of Venice. 2018-02-13 12-27-02.jpg


References


External links

*
Carnivalofvenice.com: History, photos and videos since 1998

Carnival of Venice
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carnival Of Venice Festivals in Venice
Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400  ...
Recurring events established in 1268 Annual events in Italy Festivals established in 1268 Masks in Europe