Masquerade Masks & Mardi Gras Masks

I absolutely love these exquisite masquerade masks. I wish we had more occasions to wear them besides Mardi Gras or Halloween!

We also have printable masquerade masks, and more fantasy costumes for kids, too!

Black and Gold Carnival Mask	Black Couples Mask	Black Feather Couples Mask
Black Venetian Feathers Mask	Black With Stones Mask	Disco Dot Jester Hat
Feather Cabaret Mask W/Stick	Gold Venetian Mask Adult	Feather Mask Glasses (Blue/Green)
Feather Mask Glasses (Red/Purple)	Gold Comedy Mask	Golden Flower Mask
Gold Netted Mask	Gold Tragedy Mask	Gold Venetian Half Mask with Flowers
Mardi Gras Couples Mask	Mardi Gras Mask on Stick	Mardi Gras Feather Couples Mask
Red Venetian Mask Female	Red Venetian Mask Male	Mardi Gras Venetian Mask
Silver Netted Mask	Silver Venetian Mask Adult	Tri-Color Feather Half Mask
Venetian Mask w/Stick Silver Accents	Venetian – Fiesta Mask	Venetian – Gold Nose Mask/Hat
Venetian – Jester Mask	Venetian Mardi Gras Half Mask	Venetian Mask Black Cat
Venetian Mask – Gold/White Mask with Hat	Venetian Mask Silver W/Headpiece	Venetian Mask w/Stick Red

History of the Masquerade Mask

A masquerade ball is an event which the participants attend in costume wearing a mask. Such gatherings from the 15th century grew to be elaborate pageants and triumphal processions celebrating marriages and other events of late medieval court life. Masquerade balls were extended into costumed public festivities in Italy during the 16th century Renaissance. They were generally elaborate dances held for members of the upper classes, and were particularly popular in Venice. They have been associated with the tradition of the Venetian Carnival.

John James Heidegger, a Swiss count, is credited with having introduced the Venetian fashion of a semi-public masquerade ball to London in the early eighteenth century, with the first being held at Haymarket Opera House. Throughout the century the dances became popular, both in England and Colonial America. Masquerade balls were sometimes set as a game among the guests. The masked guests were supposedly dressed so as to be unidentifiable. This would create a type of game to see if a guest could determine each others’ identities. This added a humorous effect to many masques and enabled a more enjoyable version of typical balls.

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