Friday, January 7, 2011

Venetian Masks: Tradition and History

Author: Samantha Singh

Back in the 13th Century, Venice was greater than just a small metropolis in Italy. It was an important part of Italy and was known by the title of the Venetian Republic. This Republic was small, with inhabitants within the region of approximately 150,000 people. Nonetheless, the Republic had a very profitable trade, which was ship constructing, and was able to produce one battleship in as little as thirty days. This was a really fast turnaround, made possible by the reality that the shipyards employed 15,000 of the native residents, a staggering ten per cent of the state's general population. Along with the shipyards, the Venetian Republic required workforces in all different facets of daily life. The Republic was a nicely oiled machine which functioned easily and well and this meant that the residents of the Venetian Republic were wealthy and successful. This wealth, luxury and extravagance, coupled with the implausible factor about the state, made the Republic very interesting to the relaxation of the world.

It was this wealth that was to lead to the custom of the Venetian masks. Over time, the residents of the Venetian Republic began to understand that in the event that they hid their identification they were able to carry out their daily lives in secrecy and without worry of retribution. With a lot personal wealth inside the state, people often discovered themselves making offers and agreements with different residents outside the eyes of the law. With the inhabitants, as small as a result of it was, many needed to hold out such offers as these without different people figuring out their enterprise, and so the carrying of a masks grew to develop into popular fashion.

As soon as people started to see others sporting masks, it became apparent that they could garner additional benefits. When sporting a mask your identification is hidden and so your social standing would not be recognized by others. This allowed servants and enterprise homeowners to be handled equally and prevented any type of inequality or prejudice. It additionally allowed all of the residents of the Republic to have their say on points which had been essential to them, letting them keep nameless inside the process. This was mutually useful to each of the residents and officers visiting the city, who had been able to get hold of trustworthy options to their questions from a full spectrum of residents. Quickly, all the metropolis's residents had been sporting masks to go about their day by day lives.

This mutual benefit for all carrying venetian masks did not last too long though. It didn't take much time for people to start to profit from the concealment of their id and to profit from their anonymity. Understanding that there were to be no repercussions for their actions, as nobody might presumably be identified, the society started to behave more lavishly and without fear. As a busy metropolis with travellers and business visitors descending upon them every single day, sexual promiscuity turned widespread and enjoyment was recognized to be occurring all via the day and the night time, all over the place in the city. In reality, enjoyment was even occurring in convents and was undertaken by men, women and even children. Homosexuality was starting to unfold throughout the Republic and was not condemned there as it was in the rest of the country. Women had been capable of flaunting their sexuality in revealing clothes and engaged in promiscuous behaviour. Even people who had taken religious vows, just like monks and nuns, had been performing similar actions as the rest of the population, carrying trendy outfits, enjoying and prostituting themselves.



The capital of Italy, Rome, knew of the activities which have been occurring inside the Venetian Republic nevertheless elected to ignore them as long as the Republic was continuing to make regular and substantial financial deposits. However, a decision was finally reached to ban the wearing of masks almost all the 12 months, solely allowing it in a three month period from the twenty sixth December onwards. Over time this has been lessened and is now more usually related to week long festivities typically referred to as Carnevale, or Mardi Gras.Hi I'm a historical researcher who has spent many years in Venice. I really love venetian masks, especially during the Venice Carnival.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/shopping-articles/venetian-mask-tradition-and-history-3585876.html
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About the Author

Hi I'm a historical researcher who has spent many years in Venice. I really love venetian masks, especially during the Venice Carnival.

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