Put on a mask and you can disguise your identity and even your personality. You can pretend to be anything you want. The Germans have a word for it – maskenfreiheit or the freedom given by the mask. While the tradition of wearing such face-coverings is as old as civilization itself, there is perhaps no place where this art form is as well-developed as Venice (or the Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia) during Carnevale (Carnival).

Why? Perhaps it is a throwback to Roman pagan celebrations or even to the old Celtic tradition of covering your face on All Hallows Eve to hide from evil spirits that might be lurking. Or perhaps Venice’s position at the crossroads of trade with the East, where turbans and veils are de rigueur, led to the Serenissima’s quirky fascination with “masquerade.” In any case, masks have been a Venetian tradition since at least 1268.

Through the 16^th century characters from the Italian Commedia dell’Arte (Harlequin, Pulcinella, The Doctor, among others) provided inspiration to Venetians for their masks. One of the favorites was (and still is) the plague doctor who wore a special white-beaked mask in which he could conceal perfume or medicinal herbs to avoid inhaling germs.

Another is the “Bauta”. Men wore the angular white mask with tricolored hat and black cape to political meetings to be able to express their views anonymously. In addition, black velvet masks were worn in brothels or gambling parlors to hide the identity of the owner.

By the 18^th century, Venetians were allowed to wear masks for almost six months of the year, from the first Sunday in October to Christmas, then again from Epiphany (January 6) until midnight on Fat Tuesday when a bell announced the end of festivities and the beginning of Lent.

Masquerade became a way to avoid the strict social order of the Serenissima. If you couldn’t identify the person behind the mask, you had no idea of his/her social status. However, it was not a complete free-for-all. Laws on the books forbade the wearing of masks after dark or when visiting Convents. But, by and large, the mask provided the anonymity for pagan debauchery.

When the Republic of Venice fell to Austria in 1798, Carnevale was outlawed, although some adherents continued to celebrate surreptitiously. However, the festival disappeared entirely in the 1930s when Mussolini banned it.

It remained a forgotten festival until 1979 when a group of young Venetians decided to revive the history and culture of Venice, together with the long-forgotten art of mask-making.

Today, Carnevale is one of Italy’s most important festivals transporting you back in time as hundreds of extravagantly costumed and masked models wander the ancient streets, admired (and photographed) by visitors from all over the world.

You can join them in the age-old tradition of the masquerade. All you need is a mask (or a full costume if you are so inclined).

As with everything else in the world,  cheap, imitation masks made in China hang from the souvenir stands. However, the true Venetian mask is a work of art, and there are only a few shops in the city where they can be found. Even film director Stanley Kubrick selected masks from these studios for his cult classic, Eyes Wide Shut.

The Bottega dei Mascareri, at the foot of the Rialto Bridge on the San Polo side, is one of our favorites. Started in 1984 by Sergio and Massimo Boldrin, the shop is a treasure trove of extravagant, whimsical creations, each more beautiful than the next. It is one of the places we return to every time we are in Venice.

On this trip we find Sergio busy making masks for participants in one of the many parades of Carnevale, this one involving a bull, pigs and the 12 Marias, a tradition dating back to Medieval times. He and his brother have made over 150 masks for the event.

Even though he is exceptionally busy, he still stops for a chat and to help us pick out another mask for our collection.

“A true Venetian mask,” he tells us, “has to be supple and pliable.”

He explains how it is done. Clay is used to make a shape for the mask (the negative); alabaster is poured in to make the mould (the positive). This mould is then filled with strips of special paper soaked in adhesive that dry to form the mask. The trick is to produce a clean white slate, devoid of folds or creases, a canvas for further decoration. In this case, Sergio is using gold and copper leaf to decorate his latest creation.

In another part of town, Guerrino Lovato presides over Ca’Macana. Located just across Campo San Barnaba (Dorsoduro), Ca’Macana has an enormous selection of masks that you can purchase, some for several hundred euros. Or for a unique Venetian experience, you can make your own under the watchful eye of one of the workshop’s resident artists. It is a way to experience Venice when the rain is pelting down, and the models have gone into hiding to avoid ruining their elaborate costumes.

In the corner of the workshop, tucked away down a tiny alley, are stacks of white masks in different shapes and sizes.

Having picked one each, we decide on our color schemes and types of decoration. Plastic aprons are provided, and we go to work, our efforts punctuated with exclamations of disgust (and dare I say it, even expletives) as our unsteady hands slip or drops of paint spatter where they are not intended to be.

First, we apply an acrylic base to the mask. When it is dry, detail is added to the eyes and cheeks with different colored paints. A coat of lacquer seals the paint. In between layers, a hair dryer dries the mask to prepare it for the next step. Then you can add sequins, feathers, ribbon — any detail you want.

Ecco! You have your own original mask. And while we certainly could not compete with the opulent masks and costumes worn by the hundreds of models in Venice, we have a disguise with which to mingle, free from any constraints! Maskenfreiheit!

IF YOU GO

Bottega dei Mascareri
San Polo 80 Ponte del Rialto
Tel. +39-041-522-3857
Open daily 0900-1800
www.mascarer.com

Ca’Macana
Sestiere Dorsoduro 3172
Tel. +39-041-277-6142
Call for hours and availability of mask-making classes. There are several options available. Our one-hour class cost 44 euros per person which included the cost of the mask and an illustrated book about this Venetian art form.
www.camacana.com

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