The act of hiding one’s face by covering it with a mask has been a part of daily life in Venice since the 11th century. As such, it can be found in several different ceremonies, from religious to political and diplomatic. The prevalent use of masks in festivities makes sense once you consider the social environment, where every aspect of civic life, as well as individual behaviour, are observed and judged by the community. For centuries Carnival would last up to 6 months, starting in October until the Feast of the Ascension, allowing a small break for Lent, and so the usage of masks became almost mandatory during Carnival, as it was an unapologetic expression of merriment. During this time, the bauta (a white mask worn with a black silk hood and a tricorn hat) grew into the queen of the Venetian masks, for the streets became crowded, allowing a sense of anonymity, from the Doge to the lonely beggar. he Venician Carnival appealed to the whole of Europe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The act of hiding one’s face by covering it with a mask has been a part of daily life in Venice since the 11th century. As such, it can be found in several different ceremonies, from religious to political and diplomatic. The prevalent use of masks in festivities makes sense once you consider the social […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","exhibition_types":[35],"class_list":["post-1980","exhibition","type-exhibition","status-publish","hentry","exhibition_types-exhibit"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n