| The history of the Venetian Mask is one which | | | | matters which were important to them, |
| sounds as though it stems from fairytale or | | | | allowing them to remain anonymous in the |
| legend but which goes to show that sometimes | | | | process. This was mutually beneficial to both |
| truth is stranger than fiction.Way back in | | | | the citizens and officials visiting the city, |
| the 13th Century, Venice was more than just a | | | | who were able to receive honest answers to |
| small city in Italy. It was a very important | | | | their questions from the whole spectrum of |
| part of Italy and was known by the name of | | | | residents. Soon, all of the city's residents |
| the Venetian Republic. This Republic was | | | | were wearing masks to go about their daily |
| small, with a population in the region of | | | | lives.This mutual benefit for all of wearing |
| 150,000 people. Nonetheless, the Republic had | | | | masks was not to last long though. It did not |
| a very successful trade, which was ship | | | | take long for people to start to take |
| building, and was able to produce one | | | | advantage of the concealment of their |
| battleship in as little as thirty days. This | | | | identity and to benefit from their anonymity. |
| was a very fast turnaround, made possible by | | | | Knowing that there were to be no |
| the fact that the shipyards employed 15,000 | | | | repercussions of their actions, as no-one |
| of the local residents, a staggering ten per | | | | could be identified, the society began to |
| cent of the state's overall population. In | | | | behave more lavishly and without fear. As a |
| addition to the shipyards, the Venetian | | | | busy city with travellers and business |
| Republic required workforces in all other | | | | visitors descending upon them daily, sexual |
| aspects of daily life. The Republic was a | | | | promiscuity became common place and gambling |
| well oiled machine which functioned smoothly | | | | was known to be occurring all through the day |
| and well and this meant that the citizens of | | | | and the night, all over the city. In fact, |
| the Venetian Republic were wealthy and | | | | gambling was even occurring in convents and |
| successful. This wealth, luxury and | | | | was undertaken by men, women and even |
| extravagance, coupled with the beauty of the | | | | children. Homosexuality was starting to |
| state, made the Republic very appealing to | | | | spread throughout the Republic and was not |
| the rest of the world.It was this wealth that | | | | condemned there as it was in the rest of the |
| was to bring about the tradition of the | | | | country. Women were able to flaunt their |
| Venetian mask. Over time, the citizens of the | | | | sexuality in revealing clothing and engaged |
| Venetian Republic began to realise that if | | | | in promiscuous behaviour. Even those who had |
| they concealed their identity they became | | | | taken religious vows, such as monks and nuns, |
| able to carry out their daily lives in | | | | were undertaking the same activities as the |
| secrecy and without fear of retribution. | | | | rest of the population, wearing fashionable |
| With so much personal wealth in the state, | | | | outfits, gambling and prostituting |
| people often found themselves making deals | | | | themselves.The capital of Italy, Rome, knew |
| and agreements with other citizens outside of | | | | about the activities which were occurring in |
| the eyes of the law. With the population as | | | | the Venetian Republic but for some time chose |
| small as it was, many wanted to carry out | | | | to ignore them as long as the Republic was |
| such deals as these without other people | | | | continuing to make regular and substantial |
| knowing their business, and so the wearing of | | | | financial deposits. However, a decision was |
| a mask became popular.Once people began to | | | | finally reached to ban the wearing of masks |
| see others wearing masks, it became apparent | | | | throughout the majority of the year, only |
| that they could hold additional benefits. | | | | permitting it in a three month period from |
| When wearing a mask your identity is | | | | the 26th December onwards. Over time this has |
| concealed and so your social status is not | | | | been gradually lessened and is now more |
| known to others. This allowed servants and | | | | commonly associated with week long |
| business owners to be treated equally and | | | | festivities known as Carnevale, or Mardi |
| prevented any form of inequality or | | | | Gras.The author created Venetian Masks at |
| prejudice. It also allowed all of the | | | | his spare time. |
| citizens of the Republic to have their say on | | | | |