Venetian masks and masquerades go back many hundreds of years. If you’re just learning about or indulging in the unique beauty of masquerade masks and want to start your own collection, there are a few different types of masks that you should know about, and at eMardiGrasBeads.com, we want to help you understand the differences.
Mask Types:
- Masquerade mask on a stick: Formerly used in casual occasions where partygoers did not need to hide their identities, these masquerade masks are typically used now as decorations or souveniers. When these were in wide use, partygoers could easily remove them, although consuming food and drink or dancing with these masks were often difficult tasks.
- Head mask: The head masks resemble helmets and cover the wearer’s entire head. Many say that these were difficult to open and inflexible; wearers had problems eating and drinking.
- Full-face mask: Commonly called the Bauta, these masks covered the wearer’s entire face and were designed to be worn by men. These are often designed with a square chin, no mouth and are black, white or metallic. Another type of full-face mask is the Arlecchino, although this jester-like character’s mask may also be in the mask on a stick style.
- Half-face mask: Many consider the Volto to be a full-face mask, but in many depictions, it’s designed to cover just the eyes and nose, to hide the identity of the wearer. Other popular half-face masks include the Pantalone, which is distinctive with its beak-like nose and slanted eyes, the Zanni, which features bulging eyebrows, an extremely long nose and a low forehead. Another well-known half-faced mask is the Scaramuccia or Scaramouche, a black velvet mask with an extremely thin, long and pointed nose.
If this blog post has piqued your interest and you’re in the market for a Venetian mask or two, at eMardiGrasBeads, we can help you out. Browse our mask selection today and see if something catches your eye!
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