Venetian Masquerade Masks - History and Uses

The use of Venetian masquerade masks originated from Venice, Italy for their festival. This kind of mask was worn during the Carnival that was first documented use was shown as far back as the 13th century.

During the carnival in Venice, people used masks to hide their true faces and be able to mingle with people of different social standings. This way their identity and social status are kept hidden. This is also true for today's masquerade parties where Venetian masquerade masks are worn. Wearing of Venetian masks was more favoured by the upper classes during the past centuries.

MasQueradE MasKs

Aside from hiding the identity of the wearers, men and women are able to experiment sexually without the fear of being recognized. Anyone who admires somebody is able to express his or her love or affection without having to show his or her face. People tend to say more and become more honest when they wear masks. They can do what they want more freely and inhibitions are released.

The modern Venetian masks, just like the Venetian masks worn back in 13th century are characterized by their complex designs. They are featured with bright colors accented with gold or silver. Most of the designs of the Venetians are adopted from Commedia dell'arte. These masks are of different shapes and they can also be full-face masks such as Bauta or eye masks such as Columbina.

Venetian masquerade masks can be made from several materials such as plasters, leather and paper mache. They are usually hand painted that have fabric trims, jewels and other materials to enhance them.

Aside from the examples of Venetian masquerade masks that were mentioned, other kinds of these masks are Volto or Larva, Moretta, Medico Della Peste or "The Plague Doctor" and others. The classical long nose style of masks is still a popular kind of Venetian masquerade masks that are worn at many events.

These kinds of masks have been used and are famous in the Hollywood. They were used in the film Eyes Wide Shut where Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman are the lead actor and actress.

Venetian masquerade masks are still being worn by many people who attend masquerade balls to bring elegance and beauty to the ones who wear them.

Venetian Masquerade Masks - History and Uses

Serena Mason is a masquerade masks expert with years of experience in the industry. Check out her sites on masquerade ball masks by clicking the links now!

Masquerade Party Masks and Their History

These are more than just something for Mardi gras, masquerade party masks can liven up any social gathering. The most elegant and beautiful is the masquerade party with full length costumes.

This type of party started sometime in the 15th century. The masquerade party masks starting appearing at social gatherings and then at the festivities surrounding Carnival. They soon were being used in pageants, weddings and any other celebration where the host felt it was appropriate.

MasQueradE MasKs

The following century saw the joining of the masquerade masks with full costumes. This was mostly during the Italian renaissance were the upper class were able to hid their identities from each other in a unique but formal way.

During the 17th and 18th century the masquerade party masks were sources of not only fun at parties but also tragedy. The famous opera Gustave III is a prime example of this. This is a true story of the assassination of Gustav III of Sweden while attending a masquerade ball wearing an elaborate masquerade mask.

In the beginning masquerade masks were simple yet beautiful. They have evolved into gorgeous masks adorn with beads and feathers that can either totally hide the identity of the person wearing it to just being masks on a stick for a mild cover for the eyes.

Some are beautifully handcrafted pieces of art that are made in a wide variety of themes that can fit a special occasion. Others are massed produced but still have a simple elegance to them. The hard thing is to know where to buy a masquerade party mask that will fit that special ball or occasion where that special look is needed.

There are those specialty shops that have expanded to the internet that can help you not only decide but can offer a great deal when it comes time for you to choose that special masks for your private or public event. The colors that masks can come in are silver, gold, red, white, black and pink to name a few.

Whether the mask is for a man or a woman the right one can be found so your masquerade party mask will make you the star of the event.

Masquerade Party Masks and Their History

Samantha Crowley is an expert on masquerade party masks with many years of experience in the industry. Click the links to see her wonderful collection of masquerade feather masks!

History and Tradition Behind the African Dan Mask

Of all African masks, those by the Dan habitancy are the most distinguishable and extremely sought after, with their minimal but expressively carved features, level modulations of facial planes and sleek polished black or dark brown surfaces. Collectors of African art adore the stark corpse-like faces of the Dan masks, which are regularly crafted out of hard wood, cloth and cowry shell accents.

The Dan habitancy have inhabited the regions of the Ivory Coast and Liberia since the eighth century B.C. Because they lacked a cohesive central government, identity as a Dan was fostered by a shared language and intermarriage within that language group. Much of their history has been entrenched in warfare and battles with neighboring tribes as well as with each other at times. This lead to the Dan warriors developing a somewhat ferocious reputation.

Mask

The Dan habitancy classify surroundings into two realms - the hamlet with all their inhabitants (human realm), and the forest (spirit realm) where the spirits reign, and wild animals roam freely. The forest is regarded as sacred, and crossing the boundary in the middle of the human realm and the spirit realm may only be done so by saying a prayer and wearing materials from both worlds. This creates a link in the middle of the two realms. Dan masks are guarded by the "go" master, the head of the incommunicable society of the leopard who is responsible for the initiation rites of young men into adulthood.

Dan masks as well as most African masks are an integral part of social life, ceremonies and rituals. They are unique and were traditionally only carved by initiated members of the male Poro society. There are many dissimilar types of Dan masks, but most of them can be grouped into two main categories: the feminine mask, and the masculine mask. The feminine masks are typically characterized by an oval, pointed face, and feature slender slanted eyes, a long forehead, a slender nose, a half-opened mouth and a level patina finish. The shiny patina of the wood is typically created using vegetable extracts which gives the look of a lacquer finish. They are known for their calm, abstract beauty, and while ceremonies, the performer dances gracefully and harmlessly. The female Dan mask is an idealized form of beauty and grace.

Masks are made and worn exclusively by male dancers. They portray much more of a realistic form such as larger lips. Traditionally the masculine masks main function was to prepare men spiritually for war. The Dan habitancy believe that the performing dancer is transformed into a spirit. The masked dancer will speak in the language of the spirits which is regularly unintelligible. A wise man that accompanies the dancer while the ritual will then translate the messages for the people.

There are a variety of Dan face masks, each of which has a dissimilar function. They may be the intermediaries who act in the middle of the hamlet and the forest initiation camp, may act against bush fires while the dry season, used in pre-war ceremonies for peace-making or for entertainment. Over time, many among them have lost their primary function and have been recycled into contexts associated to entertainment, emerging only for festivals or events organized for visitors or tourists.

History and Tradition Behind the African Dan Mask

Venetian Masks, History of the Plague doctor Mask

The Plague Doctor

After 1350 the culture in Europe had drastically changed to one of bleak morbidity. Art represented this pessimism with representations of death. This darkness was brought about by the prevalence of the black Plague. Nobody knew how to contain or prevent the onslaught of the Black Death and many of the supposed preventions/cures caused more problems. When habitancy believed that cats were in league with the devil, this led to cats being killed en masse. If this prejudice had not existed the rodent habitancy would have been kept down by the cats, lessening the spread of plague infested fleas from host to host i.e. Rats.

Mask

It was while this backdrop that the Medico Della Peste (Plague Doctor) came into play. Many believe The plague doctor was created by the noted French doctor Charles Le Lorme who adopted the mask and costume while treating plague victims. The costume consisted of:

· A wide brimmed hat worn close to the head which identified to habitancy that you were a doctor,much the same as nowadays hats recognize distinct professions e.g.: soldiers, police etc. By the time the plague had taken affirm grip many of the doctors had fled leaving just volunteers to help. The wide brim may also have been used as partial shielding from infection.

· A primitive gas mask in the shape of a bird's beak. It was coarse belief that the plague was spread by "bad air" and that the plague doctor mask would draw the plague away from the victim and onto the garment the plague doctor wore. The mask also included red glass eyepieces which protected the wearer from the evil of the plague. The beak was often filled with aromatic herbs to disguise the smell of unburied corpses, sputum and ruptured bouboules on the victims. The herbs also acted to overpower the "bad air" they thought carried the plague.

· A wooden cane, was used both to direct house members to move the sick person or seek a body without directly touching them.

· A long black overcoat was worn tucked into the beak mask at the neckline to minimise skin exposure, it fell right down to the foot. The coat was then covered in suet or wax which they thought could draw away the plague from the victim's skin, trapping it in the suet or repelling it with the wax.

Although at the time habitancy did not know what caused the plague, they still new that coming into taste with the victims increased the risk of contracting the disease.

It is not known how widespread plague doctors were, or how sufficient their treatment of the disease was, but it is likely that, although contribution safety to the wearer, they nothing else but contributed to the spreading of the disease by unknowingly acting as a carrier for infected fleas to move from host to host.

Venetian Masks, History of the Plague doctor Mask

A Brief History of Mardi Gras Masks

There would be nothing better to wear to a Carnivale celebration than Mardi gras masquerade masks. Many countries all over the world celebrate Mardi gras. The term refers to events of Carnival celebration which ends on the day before Ash Wednesday. These words came from the French term, meaning Fat Tuesday. The date of this popular celebration varies from city to city. Some cities where Carnivale are famous include Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Sydney, Australia.

Because carnivale originated in France, almost all countries in Europe hold Mardi Gras masquerades except the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is an important celebration in Europe, Latin America and Caribbean. Mardi gras celebration is very common throughout the country of Canada especially in the cities of Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.

Furthermore Mardi gras is celebrated in Quebec Canada. Denmark celebrates Carnivale and the people call it as Fastelavn which evolved from the Roman Catholic tradition of celebrating in the days before Lent. The holiday became less religious after Denmark become a Protestant nation. Venice, Italy is also known for the Carnival celebration and it is also one of the oldest countries that hold the event.

Masquerade masks can vary with the kinds of masks that are worn according to the masquerade theme. Some popular masquerade and feather masks that are used are Venetian lady masks, masks with black feathers, Black Ballo masks, masquerade Halloween, Black Venetian masks with stones, white with silver trim feather mask, and lavender butterfly peacock masquerade feather masks. These can be purchased online with their various and unique designs. Feather masks can make the event more elegant and fabulous due to the variety of colors and feathers that are used. There are big colourful feathers that suit best for the Carnivale celebration. Some are made from peacock feathers while others are from coque.

Whatever kind of Mardi gras masquerade and feather masks you wear, you must be able to match them with the dresses and theme of the event. This will make the celebration more fun and exciting event for everyone.

Serena Mason is a masquerade masks expert with years of experience with this popular wedding theme. Click the links to check out her amazing collection of handmade mardi gras masks!

Masquerade Party Masks and Their History

These are more than just something for Mardi gras, masquerade party masks can liven up any social gathering. The most elegant and beautiful is the masquerade party with full length costumes.

This type of party started sometime in the 15th century. The masquerade party masks starting appearing at social gatherings and then at the festivities surrounding Carnival. They soon were being used in pageants, weddings and any other celebration where the host felt it was appropriate.

The following century saw the joining of the masquerade masks with full costumes. This was mostly during the Italian renaissance were the upper class were able to hid their identities from each other in a unique but formal way.

During the 17th and 18th century the masquerade party masks were sources of not only fun at parties but also tragedy. The famous opera Gustave III is a prime example of this. This is a true story of the assassination of Gustav III of Sweden while attending a masquerade ball wearing an elaborate masquerade mask.

In the beginning masquerade masks were simple yet beautiful. They have evolved into gorgeous masks adorn with beads and feathers that can either totally hide the identity of the person wearing it to just being masks on a stick for a mild cover for the eyes.

Some are beautifully handcrafted pieces of art that are made in a wide variety of themes that can fit a special occasion. Others are massed produced but still have a simple elegance to them. The hard thing is to know where to buy a masquerade party mask that will fit that special ball or occasion where that special look is needed.

There are those specialty shops that have expanded to the internet that can help you not only decide but can offer a great deal when it comes time for you to choose that special masks for your private or public event. The colors that masks can come in are silver, gold, red, white, black and pink to name a few.

Whether the mask is for a man or a woman the right one can be found so your masquerade party mask will make you the star of the event.

Samantha Crowley is an expert on masquerade party masks with many years of experience in the industry. Click the links to see her wonderful collection of masquerade feather masks!

Venetian Masks, History of the Plague Doctor Mask

The Plague Doctor (Medico Della Peste)

After 1350 the culture in Europe had drastically changed to one of bleak morbidity. Art represented this pessimism with representations of death. This darkness was brought about by the prevalence of the black Plague. Nobody knew how to contain or prevent the onslaught of the Black Death and many of the supposed preventions/cures caused more problems. When people believed that cats were in league with the devil, this led to cats being killed en masse. If this prejudice had not existed the rodent population would have been kept down by the cats, lessening the spread of plague infested fleas from host to host i.e. rats.

It was during this backdrop that the Medico Della Peste (Plague Doctor) came into play. Many believe The plague doctor was created by the famous French doctor Charles Le Lorme who adopted the mask and costume while treating plague victims. The costume consisted of:

· A wide brimmed hat worn close to the head which identified to people that you were a doctor,much the same as nowadays hats identify different professions e.g.: soldiers, police etc. By the time the plague had taken affirm grip many of the doctors had fled leaving just volunteers to help. The wide brim may also have been used as partial shielding from infection.

· A primitive gas mask in the shape of a bird's beak. It was common belief that the plague was spread by "bad air" and that the plague doctor mask would draw the plague away from the victim and onto the garment the plague doctor wore. The mask also included red glass eyepieces which protected the wearer from the evil of the plague. The beak was often filled with aromatic herbs to disguise the smell of unburied corpses, sputum and ruptured bouboules on the victims. The herbs also acted to overpower the "bad air" they thought carried the plague.

· A wooden cane, was used both to direct family members to move the patient or examine a body without directly touching them.

· A long black overcoat was worn tucked into the beak mask at the neckline to minimise skin exposure, it fell right down to the foot. The coat was then covered in suet or wax which they thought could draw away the plague from the victim's skin, trapping it in the suet or repelling it with the wax.

Although at the time people did not know what caused the plague, they still new that coming into contact with the victims increased the risk of contracting the disease.

It is not known how widespread plague doctors were, or how effective their treatment of the disease was, but it is likely that, although offering protection to the wearer, they actually contributed to the spreading of the disease by unknowingly acting as a carrier for infected fleas to move from host to host.

Today the Plague Doctor masks are one of the most morbid but recognisable of the Venetian masks, and are now far more highly decorated. www.venetianmasquerademasks.co.uk offers a wide selection of plague doctor masks.

History of Halloween

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Most people think of Halloween today as simply a day when children dress up in costumes and go from home to home to "trick or treat" and collect enough candy to make any parent cringe. Halloween was much more significant in ancient times, however. October 31st was a very important day to the ancient Celts of Ireland, Scotland and Great Britain. No kidding around in costumes and trick or treat bags; Halloween was much more serious to the non-Christian Cults a thousand years ago.

Halloween remains a popular day in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, Ireland, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. Children get to dress up in their favorite costumes and ring doorbells throughout their neighborhood to collect as much candy as possible. In the United States' Halloween is the second most popular holiday (after Christmas) for decorating and reaps a huge financial bounty of retail selling of frightening costumes to children and adults alike, decorations and candy. But for eons, the history of Halloween encompased ancient beliefs about the world - both living and dead.

Understanding the history of Halloween can perhaps help you decide what to let your children take part in, and what to keep your children away from. Also, knowing the origin of Halloween and its history can also help Christians view the adult, youth, and child activities associated with Halloween celebrations in the light of Christ's truth.

What Is The History of Halloween?
Halloween originated among the Irish Celts, Scots and Anglo-Saxons in Britain long before the Christian era. Originally called Samhain, it was a time when they believed the division between the worlds of the living and the dead became very thin and when ghosts and spirits were free to wander as they wished. The name "Halloween" is a shorter form for the Gaelic name All-hallow-evening. Pope Boniface IV instituted All Saints' Day in the 7th century as a time to honor saints and martyrs, replacing the pagan festival of the dead. In 834, Gregory III moved All Saint's Day to Nov. 1, thus making Oct. 31 All Hallows' Eve ('hallow' means 'saint').

On the night of Samhain, it was believed spirits of the restless dead and mischievous spirits would freely roam about with humans and during this one night spirits were able to make contact with the physical world as their magic was at its height. The Celts believed that by allowing the dead to have access to the world on this one evening, they would be satisfied to return to the land of the dead. The Celtic people would put out food offerings to appease the spirits who might inflict suffering and violence on them and Celtic priests would offer sacrifices, animal and human, to the gods for the purpose of chasing away the evil, frightening spirits. They built fires where they gave sacrifices to the Celtic deities to ensure protection from the dead spirits. Samhain was also a time when it was customary for the pagans to use the occult practice of divination to determine the weather for the coming year, the crop expectations, and even who in the community would marry whom and in what order.

When Rome took over their land, the Samhain was integrated with two other Roman festivals: Feralia and a festival to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. By the time Christianity come on the scene, Halloween had already taken root from the pagan beliefs and was integrated into Christian practices. As the Europeans found their way to the New World, they brought with them their traditions which soon evolved to fit their new country.

Many customs still observed today come from these ancient beliefs. For example, the elaborately carved jack-o-lantern is said to have been named after the Irish story of a greedy, hard-drinking gambling man, Stingy Jack, who tricked the Devil into climbing a tree and trapped him there by carving a crude cross into the trunk of the tree. In revenge for being stuck in the tree, the Devil cursed Jack and made him walk the earth at night for eternity. The jack-o-lantern of today is carved with a scary face to keep Jack and other spirits from entering their homes.

A problem for the Celtic people was... if the souls of dead loved ones could return that night, so could anything else, human or not, nice or not-so-nice. So, to protect themselves on such an occasion, these superstitious people would masquerade as one of the demonic hoard, wearing masks and other disguises and blackening the face with soot to hopefully blend in unnoticed among them. This is the source of modern day Halloween costumes portraying devils, imps, ogres, and other demonic creatures.

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?
For Christians, the origins, history, and current practices of Halloween has its root in Satan, the author of deception.

He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. [John 8:44]

While some might say that Halloween is now only a fun children's holiday, it should be noted how much the modern day American practices and modern day witchcraft have in common with the ancient beliefs of the Celtic people. Contrary to some beliefs, the historic Samhain was not a time for witches and the worship Satan. Samhain was the end of the crop season and the official beginning of autumn. The ancient Celts celebrated a successful crop season on Samhain, giving thanks for the bounty of the harvested crops. The satanic celebrations now observed on Halloween is a more recent invention of more contemporary Satanists who have focused more on this season as a time when the dead can easily communicate with the living therefore making divinations and sacrifices more attainable. Modern day Halloween has thus become a mixture of ancient beliefs, occult practices and a highly commercialized children's holiday.

While some people consider celebrating Halloween to be a sin, others simply feel that Halloween quite simply shouldn't be a holiday at all! A few Southern states have been known to ban trick-or-treating on Halloween, especially when it happens to fall on a Sunday. Halloween parties are renamed "fall festivals" and children replaced scary costumes with costumes of Bible figures, historical figures, or no costume at all.

Considering that Satan is the father of lies, it can be understood how many are confused and deceived about this holiday. Like Christmas and Easter, both Christian celebrations, the true origins of Halloween, a non-Christian celebration, are eons old and some of the true meanings of the traditions of these celebrations have been distorted over time. In recent times, Christmas appears to be more about presents, parades and feasts than about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Traditions surrounding Halloween have followed the same fate. All too often we think of Halloween merely as a time of dressing up in costumes in going trick or treating around the neighborhood. In antiquity, the traditions of Halloween were of enormous significance throughout Scotland, Ireland and Britain.

Apart from the religious controversy surrounding Halloween, many families have also been struggling with even normally well-behaved children who are driven by unseen forces to destructive behavior. Vandalism and wanton disregard for the property of others is common on Halloween night. Police officials everywhere report a great increase in such activities on Halloween. Worse yet are the horrifying accounts of poisoned candy and fruits booby-trapped with razor blades and needles. Such threats are so real that many hospitals offer free X-rays of Halloween treats in order to prevent children from being harmed. Who but Satan could inspire such monstrous actions on this so-called harmless children's holiday?

Vic Bilson writes about current affairs and is author of many social commentary websites including topics about Halloween

Venetian Face Masks - A Brief History of How They Came About

The Venetian face masks have a great history that is associated with them. It will be very interesting to know about the various reasons that are associated with the emergence of these kinds of masks. This mask can also be a good idea to wear for some of the parties and balls that you would like to attend to. There are also several models in which this mask can be bought.

Many people who choose to wear these masks are very satisfied and enjoy wearing them on a consistent basis. The masks were first used in the capital of Italy a very long time ago. It will be good to know about the history of this product such that you will be feeling it to be a pride possession whenever you wear these kind of masks to any special event.

The Amazing History of Venetian Masks

In the thirteenth century, one of the important activities that were taking place in the region of Venice is shipbuilding. There was more than 10 percent of the overall population who were involved in the production of these ships. Majority of these people who are involved in this shipbuilding process were from other parts of the world and considered as slaves.

There was a rising level of awareness to stop the act of trading others as slaves. The shipbuilding process was achieved with such tremendous speed to an extent that it was possible for them to build a battle ship in less than 30 days. There was great level of labor that was put into the manufacturing of these ships and it took a very long time for them to get done.

Idea Of Introducing Masks

The idea to introduce face masks was first taken up to prevent people from being treated in an ugly manner and to prevent from others making fun of them. There was a great advantage that was associated with wearing these masks and many people wanted this advantage.

The supervisor will also avail a honest reply from people and also people from foreign origin will be protected. Thus these Venetian masks will be a wonderful possession that will be providing you with wonderful looks and at the same time you can feel proud of wearing them anywhere you go.

Many people are just simply not aware of the wonderful history of these masks and how they eventually came about. Now that you know you can feel proud of wearing them.

Simon Kendal loves going to masquerade parties and really knows about the variety of masks you can wear. He recently created some informational websites.

He provides useful information on some cool and cheap masquerade masks. Also he shows the benefits of purchasing some fun mardi gras half masks to go to any special events. Masks are fun to wear and will definitely help you relax when undergoing some serious and stressful life situations.

Is There More Than Beads and Masks to Mardi Gras? - A Little History Before the Season Ramps Up

Mardi Gras is known throughout the world as the pre-Lenten festival of New Orleans. In actuality, the holiday has its roots in ancient Rome as the circus-atmosphered orgy called Lupercalia. Lupercalia honored the god Lupercus, the god of fertility, agriculture and pastoral shepherds.

The Roman Catholic church eventually integrated Lupercalia into its pre-Lenten celebrations in order to facilitate an easier conversion of pagans into Christianity. With Lent being the 40 days of purification and penitence for Catholics, a pre-Lenten allowance of an "orgy" of food, drink, and the other self-indulgence involved in Lupercalia seemed to make enough sense to the Catholic leaders as a means of justifying an easier transition of new converts who enjoyed such merriment and might otherwise go reluctantly toward Christianity. The church's blessing of the celebration seemed to be a win-win for all.

As Lupercalia's acceptance migrated throughout the churches and villages of Europe and England, varied means of celebrating the last days before Lent were regionally devised and named. In England, Shrove Tuesday involves the preparation and enjoyment of massive amounts of pancakes as a feast, as well as sporting events involving the use of pancakes. Germany celebrates Fasching very similarly to New Orleans. It is the French who are credited with bringing what has become the modern New Orleans' Mardi Gras to the United States, as part of their landing in Louisiana in 1699.

For the period of 1699 to 1827, there are varied accounts of how Mardi Gras developed and with whom to attribute its more modern method and appeal. Regardless of how the pre-Lenten celebration derived, it is agreed by most that after the reinstated legality of wearing masks in the streets in 1827 (a practice banned during Spanish rule), the real good times began to roll. The people of New Orleans could once again celebrate in the streets and move beyond their private festivals and balls, into a city-wide celebration.

Today, the holiday is celebrated in New Orleans or Mobile style even far beyond the borders of the Crescent City. Belgium, Brazil, the Caribbean nations, Colombia, France, Germany, Guatemala, India, Italy, Mexico, Panama, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden all celebrate Mardi Gras in varied forms. In America, it is a common theme for parties and parades from coast-to-coast with lots of colorful beads and masks as the costume accessory of choice.

Ronnie Tanner is a contributing writer at http://www.toomeys-mardigras.com.com. He writes about beads for Mardi Gras and other similar topics.