Venice #2: - Venetian Masks - A journey of celebrations

It was a last minute decision to visit Venice on my birthday all by myself !
Even when I was boarding my bus from Milan to Venice, I couldn't believe, 'I am actually going to Venice'
And I still couldn't believe that I did it all alone! To the most romantic city.

It was one of the places I instantly fell in love with and could spend my life forever.

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Everyone has heard of Venetian masks, and if you are like me, you would have dreamt about being a part of the carnival, but unluckily during my stay in Italy I couldn't be a part of the grand celebration (another reason for me to come back, other than I LOVE THIS PLACE).
But I did get to see the beautiful, splendid Venice and the Venetian masks.

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"By day, Venice is a city of museums and churches, packed with great art. Linger over lunch, trying to crack a crustacean with weird legs and antennae. At night, when the hordes of day-trippers have gone, another Venice appears. Dance across a floodlit square. Glide in a gondola through quiet canals while music echoes across the water. Pretend it’s Carnevale time, don a mask — or just a fresh shirt — and become someone else for a night." -- Rick Steves

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Venice Carnival is one of the biggest annual event held in Venice, Italy and it’s the masks that make the Carnival unique from others. Elaborate costumes with these unique masks can cost up to hundreds to thousands of dollars. Of course, the more decorated mask is, the more expensive.

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As soon as you step down from Venezia Santa Lucia railway station, you can see many shops selling masks and other souvenirs . It's not a simple affair these days to buy original masks due to cheap imitations which are flooded on the streets of Venice with very few selling the original artwork and also difficult to make a difference out of the two. It takes hours for an artist to make a single mask and so the cost is high. One tip to know if it's original- it will never be cheap!

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Talking to one of the locals, he suggested me to go to Ca’ Macana located at Calle Delle Botteghe but unfortunately it was closed by the time I reached there. Ahhh BAD LUCK!!!!

Now I am definitely coming back!

So I just wandered around the streets hoping to find a perfect mask for myself.
I later did a google search on the shop and got to know they also offer workshops on how to make a Venetian mask- and I regretted not going back the next day! So Stupid of me! But who checks the cellphone WHEN YOU ARE IN VENICE.

Anyways Check out their website to know how these masks are made https://www.camacana.com/en-UK/how-to-make-Venetian-masks-at-ca-macana.php

"A man is least himself when he speaks in his own person. Give him a mask and he will tell you the truth" - Oscar Wilde.

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In the beginning, these masks were made of gesso, a white paint mixture, gold leaf and hand-painted adding beads and real feathers for decoration. They were worn in their everyday lives to protect the wearer's identity so that all classes can socialize together. With their masks, everyone had their voices! It could be a romantic encounter, women disguised themselves as men and men dressed up as women. or an activity between the man of different status.

Ummm..I can think of so many things to do if everyone is under masks...WINK WINK ;)

But these days the masks are worn only during the ‘Carnival of Venice’. They are so much more elaborate from earlier times.

So here is my selection of beautiful masks which I saw on the streets of Venice... Which one is your favorite?

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This one is my favourite.. I wish it was not that expensive

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and this one too ;)

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actually all of them!!

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Oh and I got something for myself -on sale- an original mask ...

yayyiiee

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As a costume designer, this is one of my favorite topics and would love to share a poem on masks which touched my heart. I hope you will like it...

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“She had blue skin. And so did he.

He kept it hid. And so did she.

They searched for blue, Their whole life through

Then passed right by - And never knew.”

By Shel Silverstein

source