Tartaglia Commedia Del Arte Character

The Tartaglia character has a minor role in the Commedia Del Arte .He is known to be near sighted and with a terrible stutter , hence his name which is a translation from Spanish meaning "to stutter".Most of the time the Tartaglia is put in the class of the elderly group and has a profession like bailiff,lawyer,chemist or notary, this leaves his character in the void between servant class and noble class.

the costume of this Commedia Del Arte character is an over sized cloak, large felt hat and boots, long sword and huge moustache , and a cardboard nose.

the famous porky pig cartoon character is known to have been based on this Commedia Del Arte character. 

to see our selection of Italian Commedia Del Arte masks visit www.venetianmasquerademasks.co.uk

A Carnival in Venice

A Carnival in Venice or (Carnevale Di Venezia) is the annual festival held forty days before Easter. Carnaval stated as a time for celebration and expression throughout the social classes, and wearing a Venetian mask helped them to merge to even more.After the decline of the Carnaval in Venice during the 1700s , it was reintroduced by the Italian government in 1970, in the hope of restoring Venice's history and culture.

Approx 30,000 people come to Venice Carnival a year , and one of its most important events is the best masked competition , with a panel of international costume and fashion designer judges.

if your looking for the perfect Venice Carnival mask then visit www.venetianmasqueademasks.co.uk

The Masque

A masque is a form of festive courtly entertainment , which became popular in the 15oos and 1600s in Europe , although it was developed earlier in Italy with Ventian masks.The masque tradition evolved  from the elaborate 1400s party's of ducal Burgundy, where masques were used to celebrate births,marriages and changes of rulers.the themes of these masques would be  classical  more than christian , with elements of ethical debate ,politics and mythological fable.

A masque involved music,dancing ,singing and acting , which usually Incorporated elaborate stage designs and full face masks .Many professional actors were hired for the singing and speaking parts and minor parts were given to the courtiers, such as King James 1st wife Anne of Denmark who frequently danced in them.Both Henry 8th and Charles 1st were known to perform in their own masques at court.

The origins of The Masque came from the tradition of masked players calling on Noble halls and performing all night for their hosts ,until the end when they unmasked themselves .

Of all the Arts from the Renaissance , the Masque is the most unknown , being overshadowed by painters ,carnivals and plays. 

To see our selection of Masque Masks please visit us at www.venetianmasqueademasks.co.uk

Assassins Creed Brotherhood Carnival Mask

If there are any fans of the brilliant assassins creed series out there , then you will have seen the stunning Bauta mask worn by Ezio Auditore for the carnival in sequence 9 of assassins creed 2 brotherhood , which is set in Renaissance Italy .The Bauta

 venetian mask is worn when you must slip into a carnival party held by Barbagio and assassinate him whilst not being found . the Bauta mask aides you in getting into the party without being detected .

a thoroughly good game especially for us . 

to see our selection of bauta masks please visit us at www.venetianmasquerademasks.co.uk 

Scream Mask

The Scream mask or "Ghost Face " is forever remembered from the iconic slasher scream series films .and is a fictional identity used by the main antagonists of the film.the characters voice is by Roger L. Jackson regardless of who has been behind the mask.

The mask is based on the Scream painting by the artist Edvard Munch and was created by the fun world employee Brigitte sleirstein. the mask used primarily as a disguise for the murders to protect their identity has become more thrilling due to the fact that the changing faces behind him mean he has no definite motivation.

The costume consists of a rubber latex mask ,hooded black robe and hunting knife .

to see our selection of scream masks just visit www.venetianmasqueademasks.co.uk

Halloween Masks

Halloween or also know as All Hallows Eve and All Saints Eve is a 16th century variant of the Scottish All Hallows Even which means the night before all hallows day.the phrase all hallows is found in old English , but all hallows even wasn't used until 1556,Halloween is observed on the 31st of October.Some historians have found origins of Halloween in the roman feast of Pomona , the goddess of fruits , and in the Perentaila festival of the dead .But it is more typically thought to be from the Celtic festival of Samhain , which translated means "summers end".

Customs and symbols developed over time with Halloween . such as the Jack-o-Lanterns which came from the custom of souling originating in Scotland and Ireland , and was traditionally used using a turnip.it was thought that by carving the lantern you were remembering the souls in purgatory .when the Scottish and Irish starting emigrating to the states , pumpkins were used instead as they were readily available and larger , making them easier to carve .the first recording of using pumpkins was in 1837.

Scarecrows ,pumpkins and corn husks are all things used to decorate around Halloween , which are also elements of the autumn season and "summers end ".

the image of ghosts and ghouls and monsters with Halloween , stems from the works of artists such as Robert Burns and John Mayne around the 1700s and greatly added to the Gothic horror theme of Halloween, but it really took off with books such as Frankenstein and Dracula during the 1800s .

The most symbolic of customs for Halloween is trick or treating and disguises , where children go from house to house saying "trick or treat" in the hope of receiving sweets. originally his was done in Scotland and the child would have to perform a "trick" i.e sing songs or tell ghost stories to receive a reward.trick or treating mostly resembles the practice of Souling whereas well as carving turnips ,poor folk would go from door to door receiving food in return for prayers for the dead .this was a custom used as far as Italy where venetian masks were worn as well.

the idea of disguise for festivals  dates back to the middle ages  and the first recorded costume disguise was in 1895 where masqueraders visited homes in Halloween masks to be rewarded with fruit and cake .

to see our great range of sophisticated Halloween masks visit www.veneianmasquerademasks.co.uk

Commedia Del Arte Pierrot

The Name Pierrot is a nickname or shortened version of the name Peter or Italian Pedronlini .The  renowned Pierrot character of The Commedia Del Arte originated in the late 1600s with a troupe of Italian players called the Comedie-Itallenne who were at the time performing in Paris . Today the Pierrot Character is more famous in modern day culture with films ,art,books and poetry portraying him as the sad clown who pines for his love Columbine .The Columbine character usually laughs at his advances and couples with the Harlequin .

The costume of the Pierrot character is always white to symbolise his innocence , it consists of a loose blouse with overly large buttons and pantaloons .His face is always unmasked but covered in white and occasionally he will wear a frilled collar and hat, although since his reincarnation under the famous actor Jean -Gaspard Deburau he wears neither , just the iconic small black skullcap.It was also during this time that the Pierrot  became mute  due to the fact that the theatre Jean worked in was only licensed for  mime and acrobatics .

The major characteristics of the Pierrot is that he is part of the Zanni family of clowns but from the lowliest peasant stock and has neither the cunning or charm of the rest of the clowns .He is  a fool ,naive and always the butt of jokes in the Commedia Del Arte but still completely trusting .    a buffoon who is always on the periphery of the action giving what he believes is wisdom and advice but the rest of the characters think is nonsense and ridiculous.

In the 1800s the public and many romantic bohemian  artists had developed a deep sympathy for this dejected character and turned him from a fool into a version of themselves , a figure alienated and innocent struggling to fit into the strict world of "eat or be eaten".His frustrated  and futile pursuit of Columbine combined with his isolated ,out of touch and complete naivete of the world  ensured he was lifted from the  Commedia Del Arte and into the lager world of Myth.

To see our great range of Pierrot Masks visit us at www.venetianmasquerademasks.co.uk 

Womens Opera Gloves

Ladies Opera Gloves or Evening Gloves are a formal type of glove which must be above the elbow to authenticate them. They come in three lengths , wrist, elbow, and over elbow i.e Opera Gloves , the materials used to make the glove can be satin , latex, suede and the most expensive materials are kidskin , cowhide and patent leather. When measuring an opera glove the measurements are referred to in "button" . one button is usually longer than one inch , Opera Gloves must be between 16-22 inches to be classed as one , And are often worn with masquerade masks.

The earliest date known for wearing Opera Gloves is in a portrait of Queen Mary during 1690, but they became popular during the Regency/Napoleonic period of the 1800s .There revival in the 1920s where they were worn as day and evening gloves and also as swim wear,  launched the success of the  Opera Glove into the20th and 21st century. It was considered ill bred during the 1920s for the upper classes to go barehanded  especially at public functions .Many actresses also helped the glove revival including Sarah Bernhardt and Lillian Russel, whilst Marlyn Monroe and Rita Hayworth donned their Opera Gloves for the films "Some gentleman like blonde's " and "Gilda". Christiane Dior has also designed Opera Gloves for his runway shows .

To this day opera gloves are used to add sophistication to any wedding , prom or ball, whilst in some country's like Austria it is still compulsory to wear white Opera Gloves to the royal Vienna Opera Ball and in Japan women must wear them to protect their Fair skin which represents beauty , grace and social status.

The most famous type of Opera Glove is the "Mousqetaire" which was derived from the french glove worn by male musketeer's of the 17th century.The Mousqetaire had a wrist opening which could be closed with three pearl buttons and allowed the ladies to slip  just their fingers out whilst dining  .During the Victorian period the gloves were worn so tight that a hook or talcum powder were needed to get them on , and in the 1930s the gloves were made using the same material and color of their underwear so they could wear the gloves in the day and night to protect their hands and keep them soft and unblemished.

to see a great range of opera length gloves just visit www.venetianmasquerademasks.co.uk 

Commedia Del Arte El Capitano

El Capitano  Italian for The Captain is a Commedia Del Arte character who is often foreign . He  originates from around the 1600s and is based on the Spanish occupation of Italy during this time hence El Capitano is often  Spanish in the Commedia Del Arte plays.

The character tends to talk at great length about his military prowess and romantic flings  in his wish to impress everyone but mostly just impresses himself, as he has no idea about woman and would instantly run away if the need to fight arose. Greed is often a word associated with the El Capitano , as in the scenario where he is chosen to protect the female Immoretti but proceeds to set up a bidding war between all her suitors, and is known to often switch sides during conflict depending on who is winning .

the costume of the Commedia Del Arte  El Capitano is a military uniform and tricorn hat  which is worn and patchy to show his lack of money.His mask has a large nose and moustache which is usually turned up at the corners.Glasses are usually worn for his poor vision but the character insists its so his fierce glint wont outshine the sun.Because he is foreign a overly large ruff is worn in the Spanish fashion.His sword is just for show , and if he ever draws it it is always either too heavy to hold or wobbly to use , which emphasises his lack of courage , whilst his stance is straight with one hand on hip and the other placed on sword to show off.his comedy value is greatly shown when he is scared as he screams like a women and then is known to faint .

Because he El Capitano is a show off his titles are usually something like "Mountain Crumbler" and "Mountain Splitter" , But He often ends up with ridicules names like "The saviour Of Drunken Virgins".

To see our great range of Commedia Del Arte Masks visit www.venetianmasquerademasks.co.uk

A full face mask the Bauta or Bautta has a strong stubborn chin line ,  and is always covered in plenty of gilding .The Bauta mask covers the top of the face from forehead to nose including the cheeks but leaves the mouth open to enable the wearer to to eat and converse easily. the design of the mask also changes the timbre of the wearers voice concealing the identity of the wearer even more.

the Bauta mask is one of the most worn by men  during Carnival, but it wasn't always for this occasion. Due to its ability of hiding a persons identity and social status , many wore it to allow them to act more freely and outside the limits of convention for such things as illicit ,criminal,personal and romantic interests.

During the 1700s the Bauta mask became  a regulated mask obligatory by the Venetian government , to be worn during political decision making events and ballots where citizens were required to be anonymous o ensure free and equal votes. Whilst wearing the mask the wearer was required to not carry arms. 

To see our great range of authentic Bauta masks visit www.venetianmasquerademasks.co.uk 

Carnival

The festive season of Carnival occurs immediately before Lent during February  and is by definition a public celebration combining parades with themes such as circus and masquerades in public streets.

Mainly Carnival is celebrated by Roman Catholics , two of the most famous are the Brazilian Carnival of Rio De Janeiro and the Italian masked Carnival of Venice . Carnival traditions  are based on the Lenten period from the Gospel , where people would hold no parties ,celebrations .and fast by not consuming any rich foods such as dairy's,fats ,meats and sugars.This would last for forty days and after that time the whole community would throw a huge Carnival party.Whilst Carnival forms part of the history of the Roman church , some traditions do date back to the ancient Roman festivals called Saturnalia and Bacchanalia and have been Incorporated into the Venetian masked  Carnival.

Perhaps the best known traditions include  carnival parades ,  and  masquerade masked balls which were first recorded in medieval Italy in the Carnival of Venice .these themes quickly spread to Portugal,Spain and France and then on to Germany.

The term Carne vale is Latin for "farewell to meat" which explains the fasting for Lent  Alternatively it could be translated to "farewell to the flesh" which is a motto embraced by many as an encouragement to let go of your everyday self and embrace the carefree nature of the festival.

The first Carnival of Venice was recorded in 1268, although it was restricted by church laws forbidding the wearing of masks , a main feature of the Italian Carnival .Venetian masked  Carnival was stopped altogether after its fall to Austria in 1798 , until its revival in the 20th century .

There are two main Italian Festivals , the first is Carnival of Viareggio .which is characterised by its parades and floats . The carnival of Ivrea has a famous battle of the oranges where people have a food fight in the streets with citrus fruits.

In summary Carnival stretches across the world to every country and religion who adapt it to suite there customs , with the most famous being the Venetian Carnival.

If you would like to see our great range of Venetian masks visit www.venetianmasquerademasks.co.uk 

Morretta Mask

The Morretta Venetian mask originated in medieval France to prevent the woman from talking to nuns or male clergy when going to church. the mask was made with black velvet(hence the name morretta meaning dark) and completed with a black silk veil. to keep the mask attached to your face there was a button where the mouth should be and it was kept clenched between the teeth , meaning no speech could pass your lips.Eventually in the 1700s  the Venetians adopted the mask for their carnivals as it enhanced the woman's feminine features and accentuated the tone of their skin color .It was in Venice that the Morretta mask came to be nicknamed  as Servetta Mura (dumb maid servant).

to see the range of Authentic Venetian Masks visit www.venetianmasquerademasks.co.uk

Casanova Mask

The Casanova mask is the epitome of the famous lover Guacomo Casanova .representing everything Casanova stood for ,wealthy, seductive , humorous and dangerous .

born in 1725  to the actress Zanetta Farussi , Casanova was brought up in the pleasure capitol of Europe , the republic of Venice . with its famed carnival ,gambling houses and courtesans , Venice enticed the wealthy young men of Europe to make it one of  the first  stops of their grand tour .this exciting city would be the pleasure ground of Casanova throughout his life .

He spent much of his youth at boarding school until being placed under the care of the Abbe Gozzi  and his family .it was in this household that Casanova had his first encounter with the opposite sex in the form of the Abbes younger sister .

He was known early on for his quick wit , inquisitiveness  and intense appetite for knowledge which lead him to entering Padua University .But becoming increasingly in debt due to his gambling he left and returned to Venice to become a clerical lawyer and abbe in the called the patriarch of Venice .By this point he was something of a dandy with his powdered and scented wigs and tall dark looks ., which brought him to the attention of the rich venetian senator Alvise Mallipero .Mallipero  taught Casanova the manners of society , the joys of good food and wine and the best circles to move in .The two parted ways after the senator caught Casanova dallying with an actress called Teresa Imer who was the intended object of seduction for Mallipero .during this time Casanova also amused himself with the company of two sisters called Nannetta and Maria . These plus scandals including being thrown into prison and caught writing love letters to a cardinal  ended Casanovas short church career .

Looking for a new way to earn money he joined the venetian army as a military officer , but soon abandoned it after finding the duty's to boring .By now 21 Casanova became a violinist and embraced the the habits of his fellow degraded musicians .after tiring of the music life he went on to try his hand at a career in gambling ,doctoring ,writing and as a state spy.but by 49 his reckless years of living and travelling had taken its toll on his health and looks which had been ruined by small pox scars. the woman became few and the gambling less fun without the funds.

When Count Joseph Von Waldstein requested Casanova to become his librarian in Bohemia , Casanova readily agreed and lived there writing his famous memoirs and conquests  until his death aged 73 .one of his most famous seductions was that of a nun , who during carnival was seduced by Casanova wearing a Venetian carnival mask and sneaking into the convent to find her.

If your looking for your own mask with much history to it why not try www.venetianmasquerademasks.co.uk

Commedia Del Arte Pantalone

The only official  date for the Pantolone  Del  Biscognosi  character meaning (Pantalone of the needy)  in Commedia Del  Arte is in 1550 , but it was known to have been around much earlier than this . he was one of the most important characters in the play being portrayed as a stingy ,decrepit old venetian merchant with an unpleasant personality  and at the top of the social order of the day .

everything about the character is based on money and his ego . from the Pantalone mask  and  his stance which is hunchbacked to impress on the audience his age and money grabbing ways to the way he falls backwards whenever news of financial distaer is relayed to him plus  thinking himself highly intelligent , but usually becoming the butt of tricks and jokes .

most commonly he is the father of one of the two young lovers or else the elderly widower who wishes to marry the young woman, and trys to keep them apart. his most common traits are his attempts at making passes at women only to be rejected every time . his role in the play is pivotal as the bad element keeping the happy lovers apart.

a modern portrayal of this is in the simpsons with the character  Mr Burns , who shows greed , misery, and the stinginess which sums up the pantalone exactly .

if your looking for your Commedia Del  Arte mask then visit www.venetianmasquerademasks.co.uk

E4s Made In Chelsea Reality Program

well for those of you who last night watched the made in Chelsea masquerade ball episode , will have seen a whole host of masks designed and imported by our very own venetian masquerade masks website.

with Ollie sporting our Venetian colombina piuma , Gabriella looked dazzling in her blue Fleur Venetian mask. Hugo and Millie went for the venetian Vivian and Gondola masks and Francis looked dashing in his Venetian Zanni mask.the rest of the cast were seen wearing a collection of Macramé ,Volto and Harlequin masks.

for those who don't know about the channel 4 reality drama which is shot in the wealthy  knightsbridge, Belgravia area of Chelsea London  , it follows a group  of elite rich 20 something year olds who range from pop wannabes to old Etonians , as we follow their arguments ,loves and backstabbing .

the cast consists of bisexual event planner  Ollie Locke , diamond entrepreneur  Francis boulle, aspiring singer Caggie Dunlop ,make up artist millie mackintosh, boutique owner Amber Atherton,musician Gabrielle  Ellis,blog author Cheska Hull, and Spencer Mathews , Fredrick Ferrier , Hugo Taylor ,Alenxandra Felstead and Rosie Fortisque .

all of the above masks can be found at www.venetianmasquerademasks.co.uk

Commedia Del Arte Mask Zanni

The Zanni or Zani is a servant , immigrant worker and  trickster commonly from the Lombardy venetian countryside . And is one of the most early and popular characters of the commedia Del arte. the Zanni is a variant of the Italian Gianni and refers to a single person or many .the Zanni was a character in his own right before being divided into a group of similar characters with specific traits. Two major types of  the divided Zanni character were the silly servant (Brighella, Truffaldino) and the cunning servants (Arllechinno, Pulcinella) but before developing into these sub characters and personalities the Zanni was the original.

An actor playing a Zanni character must be clever and equal in talent as his success always lied in his partner’s dialogue, meaning that the Zanni could be funny but if his partner faltered then Zannis wit would fail. The attributes of the Zanni was his stance is low to the ground as if to look like he has carried many heavy bags and chairs all his life .when walking he takes small tiny steps with his head pecking like a chicken .his voice is loud and course due to constantly trying to be heard in the city streets and markets.

He is mostly known as the stupid servant henchman of the character Pantolone .ignorant, loutish and with no self awareness, so that the simple act of thinking seems unnatural to him. Although later sub Zanni characters would develop a cunning and cleverness. The Zanni characters use to the storyline of the play is by being a character who contributes to the confusion going on. And was also known to take items such as bags, food and letters from people.

Usually the Zanni costume consists of baggy white clothes which were the dress of the Italian peasants of the time, with a peaked hat and wooden sword .the Zanni mask was a protruded nose which the longer it was meant the more stupid the Zanni.

If you are looking for a Zanni mask why not visit www.venetianmasquerademasks.co.uk

History Of The Commedia Del Arte

The Commedia Del Arte was established in Italy during the 1500s and was known as a performance characterised by masks. The translation of the term Commedia Del Arte means comedy of craft, and the object of this form of theatre was it was improvised with humour instead of a scripted production.

Although its roots date back to the roman empire and Greek theatre , the earliest known commedia  troupe were called the Gelosi who received patronage and protection from the king of France himself .

It is also important to note that Commedia Del Arte were the first to enjoy having female roles played by females , although this view wasn’t shared by the Italian clergy who described them as prostitutes who infused men with carnal desires , and attempted to have them banned .it wasn’t until the Napoleonic period that Commedia  Del Arte was outlawed .

The plot lines tended to include themes of adultery, jealousy, old age and love, drawing influence from current events and topics of the time. The most classic plot would involve two young lovers wishing to be married, but thwarted by an elderly person who wishes to have one of the young lovers for himself .this leads to the too doomed lovers asking help from the servants with typically the young lovers marrying. The players relied heavily on practical jokes and on the spot improvised episodes whilst their heavily rehearsed jokes, dialogue and actions could be applied to different regions they travelled in with different in tastes and gossip. This often led to most audiences coming to see the performers and the plot line taking second place.

Players tended to perform outside without scenery, just using a variety of props. The cities and towns often funded them for their festivals, but many troupes were patronized by the nobility as well. The most successful of the troupes had to be able to travel throughout Europe and perform in front of royalty and nobility.

Some of the most famous actors and actresses were Dionisi Martinelli who was famed for his roles playing Arllechino and was honoured by the queen of France. Whilst Isabella Andreini was a member of the Compagnia Dei Comica Gelosi who performed for the highest circles in France, Italy and Spain .she was especially known for making her character less dull by tearing her clothes off on stage.

Many of our modern day comedy characters are drawn from the Commedia Del Arte such as the clown and punch and Judy.

If you’re interested in original Italian masks then visit venetian masquerade masks .

the Commedia Del Arte Lovers

The Innamoreti which is Italian for lovers, are the characters whose sole purpose in the play is to set the plot for the rest of the show, and who must despite all obstacles must reunite.

The lovers are always over dramatic in everything they say and do, often acting in childlike ways. a good example of this is in how when the lovers are separated they lament and moan about their separation but once united need the help of servants or go betweens  to express their feelings for each other. Another example is how they stomp, pout, cry and whine and generally have a tantrum if they are not getting their own way.

Essentially the lovers are in their own worlds throughout the play, and are in love with the idea of being in love. And shows them as too unintelligent to figure out how to overcome the obstacles in their way, this leads to the comedy characters helping and ridiculing the lovers.

The relationship between the lovers is more to do with there being interested and overtaken in the idea of romance rather the other lover. The characters never openly acknowledge their feelings for each other due to nerves and more commonly they bicker and fight like children , also showing there childishness. The lovers always reconcile and marry in the end; often the lovers will interact with the audience by either calling for advice, help or even to flirt.

Their physical attributes are unique in that they are the only characters to not wear masks but instead both wear lots of makeup. The lovers are always young, attractive, selfish, elegant and courteous. The female wears rich silks and flash expensive jewellery whilst the male wears military attire and a wig. Both stand with a posture to indicate pride with their chests and feet pointing outwards. The lovers always have the same names in the plays either Cinzio, Silvio, Ortenssio for the men and Angelica, Isabella and Flaminia for the female .there speech is elegant and musical with them often singing and reciting poetry leading to the audience and other characters not taking any of their dialogue to seriously.

For more Commedia Del Arte character  masks just visit venetian masquerade masks.

ideally if you would like a couples mask why not try the his and hers mask selection.

Vampire Diary Masked Ball Masks

For those keen followers of vampire diaries, you will have watched season twos masquerade ball episode held at the Lockwood mansion .were vampire Katherine goes disguised as mortal Elena.

If you’re looking for your own taste of Venice’s luxury Gothic masks made in fillagree metal , then why not try venetian masquerade masks where you can choose between dangerous Katherine’s seductive mask Mon Amour , or angelic witch Bonnie’s  smoking  mask . 

History Of The Masked Ball

Masked balls came about in the 15^th century due to the celebrations of marriages and other political and dynastic events of the late medieval court life of France and the ducal court of Burgundy.

Two well known masked balls were the bal des sauvages(wild men’s ball) and the morisco(costumed ball)

One of the earliest known masquerade mask balls was in 1393 in France to celebrate the marriage of the queen’s lady in waiting. It came to be known as the bal des ardents (burning men’s ball) due to the king and four nobleman dressing up as wild men and being chained together. There costumes and masks were linen cloth soaked in pitch and wax with hemp attached to give off a shaggy unkempt look . In view of the obvious danger of fire from the torch bearers, the king ordered them to keep back. The only person who was not told this was the king’s brother who after arriving late wished to know the identity of the men and so approached with a lit torch but accidently set one of the men on fire. Only the king and one other knight survived and from then on the occasion was known as the ball of the burning men.

Another occasion where a masked ball backfired was in the court of King Gustav the 3^rd of Sweden in 1792 when he was assassinated during a masked ball by nobleman Jacob Anckarstrom and his henchman, who only words were “good day”, fine mask before shooting him in the spine.

It was in Italy during the renaissance that masked balls extended into public events for the upper classes, made famous by carnival .England joined in with the fashion of Venetian masked balls in the 18^th century after a Swiss count arrived in London and introduced the idea of a semi public masked ball in the Vauxhall gardens of London. A standard item of these masked balls was a dress called a Vandyke, which was influenced by van dykes Gainsborough blue boy portrait, this lead to many portraits being painted with the sitters in fancy dress and masquerade masks.

The object of most masks for a ball was to set up a game in which guests had to guess the identity of other guests which added a humorous affect to another wise typical ball.

It was during the 1950s that masks for a ball had a resurgence of popularity due to the multi millionaire interior decorator don Carlos de Beistegui de Yturbe  purchasing the palazzo  labia in Venice . He hosted one of the largest and lavish parties of the 20th century called le bal oriental. The guests included European royalty as well as Orson Welles, Christian Dior, Salvador Dali and Nina Ricci.

If you’re searching for masks for a ball or masquerade masks then visit us at www. 

Papier Mache Masks

The history of the Papier Mache masks comes from china during the Han dynasty which lasted from BC 202 –AD 220, and was used to make the base of their helmets. Quickly this material spread to Japan and the Persian Empire being used to make masks for their festivals. It was also found to be used as a base for some Egyptian death masks. During the 1600s the papier Mache masks made their way into mainland Europe notably France where it was given its name meaning chewed paper.

The method traditionally used to make a Papier Mache mask is to tear paper into small pieces and mix flour and water till you have a heavy cream consistency .then you apply the mixture and paper into the mould of the mask you wish and leave to dry. Once dry it is sanded and then painted and if required water proofed. In the 20^th century the way Papier Mache masks were made changed to using lightweight resins, although traditional Venetian masks still use the paper base.

To find a whole host of authentic Venetian Papier Mache masks just visit Venetian masquerade masks.

if your wanting a unique mask but don't want to start from scratch then try our range of blank masks.

History Of Plague Doctor Masks

                            

The plague doctor (Italian Physici Epidemie ) was a physician of the bubonic plague(black death) during the 14^th 15^th and 16^th century  .originating in china , the plague made its way to Europe via the fleas on the ship rats along the trade routes , and soon ravaged across France, Germany, Italy, Spain and England .

The role played by the plague doctor was completely different to that of a general practitioner in that a plague doctor only dealt with plague victims and was hired by towns and cities instead of a specific person, and treated all social classes. Most of them were neither trained or experienced but second rate doctors and just out of school physicians ...one man was a fruit seller beforehand .the role didn’t just end with treating victims but also in recording the deaths due to plague for the public records , and also as witness to the many wills made during this time .

Because of the dangers involved for plague doctors, it made them very hard to find but also very valuable and so many were given special privileges and pay. One such doctor was Matteo fu Angelo in 1348 who received four times the normal rate of a general doctor. They were also freely allowed to perform autopsies, which were usually a well guarded procedure in the hope of finding a cure.

There was not just the risk of infection to contend with, so valuable were they that two were captured and ransomed in 1650 to the city of Barcelona.

Several plague doctors came to prominence during this time including Nostradamus, himself having lost his first wife and children to the plague. Who advised drinking only boiled water and using clean linen. Another was Charles de Lorme who was physician to the royal house of Medici and spent time trying to understand the plague.

The outfit of the plague doctor consisted of a an ankle length overcoat, leggings, gloves, boots and hat all made of morocco leather and covered in scented fragrances to prevent evil smells . The wooden cane used was to remove clothes of victims and point out areas that needed attention on the body. To check a victims pulse and even to keep people away from touching them, all this was done to keep minimal contact. The beaked mask was used as a type of gas mask with two small nose holes to breath but stuffed with herbs to keep airborne disease out, and the eye openings contained glass, the beaked part of the mask was used so it distorted the physicians voice and allowed him to remain in polite society without being recognised and thus ostracised. The overall use of the plague doctor mask was due to the theory of miasma disease i.e. poisonous vapours or mist filled with particles from decomposed matter that caused illness.

The symptoms of the plague were the painful swollen lymph glands called buboes which were commonly found in the neck, groin and arm pit. other symptoms included high fever , blood vomiting , skin colour change , urination of blood and extreme fatigue and delirium .their methods for treating this was bloodletting ,lancing the boils, quarantine , applying frogs to the buboes or to coat the victim in mercury and place them in an oven .

The plague doctor mask has eventually been incorporated into  Venetian carnival masks due to the macabre fascination and rich history of it. Its practical uses made it an ideal mask to hide a wearers identity and so perfect for the Venetian mask carnival.

Venetian masquerade masks sell a good variety of authentic plague doctor masks, suitable to wear and display.