With another Venice carnival behind us this year, let’s take a look into the history of the city’s magnificent annual celebration of opulence.
The Carnival of Venice, or Carnevale di Venezia, is a historic festival celebrated in, Venice (of course). There are no real concrete guesses as to the exact year it began, but many sources point to the year of 1162, after the Venetian Republic defeated the Austrian invader ‘Ulrich II of Aquileia’. The festival initially celebrated their victory, but in later centuries, it became an event of pleasure and freedom.
During the Renaissance, it became an official tradition of Venice and was enjoyed by commoners and nobles alike. One of the key aspects of this was the usage of decorative masks, which allowed the participants to disguise themselves and act more freely. Mask makers themselves were held in high esteem, being given their own guild and unique laws.
However, during the reign of the last Holy Roman Emperor, Francis II, the festival was banned, and masks were outlawed entirely in 1797. After some time, the carnival made its way back into Venetian culture, albeit for private participants, using it as an opportunity to rediscover artistic masks and outfits.
It wasn’t until 1979 that the carnival of Venice returned in full force, as a way to celebrate the city’s historic culture and attract tourists to the city. Creatives use it as an opportunity to create even more elaborate, beautiful masks than in times of old. Modern Venetian masks are far more intricate in design, leading to a massive increase in price of authentically crafted masks, while cheaper, simpler ones are found in abundance.
One of the many events is designed to determine the most beautiful mask at the carnival, with the winner being chosen from a panel of experienced fashion designers. I can only imagine the honour that must be for the winner, or the one who crafted it, given the countless beautiful outfits from the many thousands of attendants.
I personally adore these styles of masks, the ornate designs feel so genuinely beautiful, each one distinguished and heartfelt, if I had the room, I would love nothing more than to collect dozens of original creations.
With the long-awaited return of Carnevale this year now over, we can look forward to all the designs of the future.
Ashley is a copy editor and writer with a passion for gaming, music, films and animation.
