A Glimpse at the History of Venetian Masks

Any visit to Venice is filled with ornately painted masks. These are more than just colorful souvenirs — they come with a story. Throughout the centuries, these masks have always been a big part of Carnevale celebrations, the weeks-long Mardi Gras festivities leading up to Lent — and high-class people have traditionally put them on to hide their faces while they are out and about, doing less-than-respectable things.


Join me now at a mask shop in the heart of Venice for a peek at the history of these masks — from the 17th century, when doctors used them to treat victims of the plague, all the way to the 1970s, when local hippies incorporated them into their wild outfits.