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Hand made wearable mask
Original from Venice

The history behind Venetian masks comes from the past and continues into the present day. Over time, Venetian masks have become more and more beautiful and elaborate, and continue to fascinate people all over the world.
But instead of their fame, maybe not everyone knows their history. What about you? Would you like to find out more about the history behind these masterpieces?
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What is the origin of Venetian masks?
The origin of Venetian masks dates back to the Middle Ages when people started to reunite and celebrate together dressing up with masks and flashy clothes. Gradually it became even more popular and institutionalized by the Republic of Venice, reaching its peak during the Carnival of Venice. But that is not all!
During the period of the Venetian Republic, people used to wear masks for many months throughout the year and not only to celebrate Carnival. In fact, Venetian masks were also used as a “precaution” in risky business, such as gambling or shady exchanges between merchants and smugglers.
Lastly, throughout their history, Venetian masks were also used by the Venetian Republic as a way to let people’s tensions go without letting them escalate into extreme episodes. That is because according to Venetian laws nobody wearing a mask could be arrested if they played according to the mask’s character.
Nowadays, thanks to their beauty and fashion, Venetian masks are widely used by anyone in the world to celebrate with fun and joy every kind of masquerade event: from Carnival to New Year’sEve!
How many types of Venetian masks are there?
As you can imagine, there are many types of Venetian masks and that is mainly because the Carnival of Venice is an ancient tradition and over time new masks have been added.
Some are related to significant events, others to famous people of the past, and some are simply fictional characters. Over time, these masks have become increasingly famous and today they are known all over the world.