What’s your favourite Italian Carnival mask?

In Italy Carnival is a festive season that is generally celebrated during February or March.

During Carnival there are parades and street parties where people usually wear masks and costumes. 

Carnival is a special period of time where social roles are suspended. So, everyone can mock everyone, even the authority. It’s not surprising that nowadays many floats are designed to mock politicians.

The most famous carnival in Italy is surely the one held in Venice. This carnival begins with the Angel’s flight. During this event, a person is let down St Mark’s Tower with the help of a crane and some wire ropes.

Moreover, during the last weekend of the Venetian Carnival is held a contest for the most beautiful mask. The winner is chosen by a panel of costume and fashion designers.

But what are some of the most famous masks of the Italian Carnival tradition? Let’s see some of them:

ARLECCHINO – HARLEQUIN

Arlecchino was originally a demon character of the French passion plays.
In the 16th century, however, Arlecchino was re-interpreted and became a character of the Italian commedia dell’arte.
Arlecchino is a light-hearted, agile, witty and creative servant. He generally gives bad advice to his master, and he usually ends up being beaten by him.
He wears a colorful patched costume and a black mask. According to tradition, the patches, diamond shaped, are probably the remnants of other dresses.

Nowadays is a very famous Italian Carnival mask and it’s surely one of the most loved.

COLOMBINA – COLUMBINE

Colombina is another popular Italian Carnival mask.
Colombina is a character in the Italian commedia dell’arte. She is a cunning, insolent, gossip maid and soubrette, and she’s also Arlecchino’s lover.
The mask of Colombina is generally decorated with gold and silver crystals, and with some feathers. It usually covers only the eyes and sometimes the nose of the wearer. It can be either helded up to the face by a baton or tied with a ribbon.

MEDICO DELLA PESTE – THE PLAGUE DOCTOR

The idea of this Venetian Carnival mask comes from a real mask invented by the physician Charles de Lorme to prevent the spread of the plague.
This mask is characterized by a long hollow beak and round eyeholes.
When the plague ended, the mask of il medico della peste became a costume for Carnival.

PULCINELLA – PUNCH

Pulcinella is a famous Italian Carnival mask. 
Pulcinella is another character of the Italian commedia dell’arte.
He is always dressed in white with a black mask. His peculiar voice, produced with a swazzle, is one of his distinctive traits.
He is a symbol of the perennial coexistence of the opposites – black and white. He’s a swindler but he’s also selfless. He’s lazy but he can be very dynamic when he’s hungry.

Some Italian terms related to Carnival

Coriandoli: confetti
Stelle filanti: streamers
Costume: costume
Carri: floats
Maschera: mask
A carnevale ogni scherzo vale: During the carneval anything goes
Sfilate di carnevale: Carnival parade
Schiuma: foam
Parrucca: wig
Scherzo: prank

What about you? Do you celebrate Carnival? Which are the most famous masks in your country?
What’s your favourite Italian Carnival mask?

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Credits

Original image by Madeinitaly