The Mask In History

For Thousands of years the Mask has played an important part in Society. In Ancient Greece it was used not only to amplify the voice in the vast amphitheatres, but to caricature politicians and leaders of the day. In the Middle Ages masks were banned by the Pope as they were frequently used to portray the devil and considered to be purveyors of evil. This ban lasted for several centuries until the revival of street theatre brought them back into popular use. In 14th Century Italy the Commedia Dell Arte created wonderful characters which were the forerunners of the Clown and Pantomime. For centuries the mask became an important part of Venetian life, worn all year round not only for Carnival but in the street every day. It gave the wearer permission to break all the rules of conventional behaviour, not in secret but in public. Lovers of either sex could meet openly, Lords could court their mistresses, Ladies could cuckold their husbands, and everyone could take their pick of the available talent, both male and female!! It was not all pleasant. An unexpected assignation could result in a watery grave in the canals, and crime ran at a high level. The Masquerade Balls were stunning celebrations of everything in excess! Music, Costume, Food, Wine, and….we leave the rest to your own imagination. Inevitably towards the end of the 18th Century, the masks were banned again, this time by Napoleon who feared that they could be used for subversive political activity!

The Mask in Venice To-day

Venice continues to attract millions of people every year from throughout the world. Its narrow streets are full of mask and gift shops, which dazzle and confuse. Much of what is on sale is imported and of poor quality, the designs pirated from the true artisans and easily identified. . The masks made lovingly by hand by the relatively few artists now working in the city are in Papier Mache and exquisitely decorated in vibrant colours and gold leaf... Carnival is a sanitised affair revived in the 1980’s and has little resemblance to the original... The Musicians in San Marco give way to pop music and the crowds make passage through the city very difficult. We always suggest that you visit Venice for the first time in early summer or autumn to see the true city, and appreciate with awe and wonder this achingly beautiful place.

Venice The City

cannot be described in words. Arriving at the Marco Polo Airport – literally on the water – the first view from the Taxi or water bus on the Grand Canal is breathtaking. The light reflects from the water onto the buildings giving the impression of a Canaletto or Turner painting . As you progress along this majestic waterway, the buildings seem unreal in their sheer beauty. Palaces, Museums, Churches, Gardens, Bridges and of course the water craft. So many boats of every shape and size. The ugly water bus spurting diesel, the Gondola gliding silently, the ever present motor launches travelling much too fast. La Serenissima, your life is ebbing away with the tide and the pollution of modern life, how far removed from the glory of centuries past .What will become of you?

Enjoy our favourite books about Venice;

Venice Revealed - Paolo Barbaro. A History of Venice - John Julius Norwich

Venice Tales of The City - Michelle Lovric. A Day in Carnival – Michael Lucas

Venice Observed – Mary McCarthy. Venetian Legends and Ghost Stories – Alberto Toso Fei

Best of Venice City Break Pack with Guide, Phrasebook and mini Cd-Rom from Lonely Planet

from http://www.amazon.co.uk/

Text content by Mark Sevia © November 2005

Illustrations by:
(1) from painting by JMW Turner .Tate London.
(2 & 3 ) Artist not known in Private Collection Venice