"Do you not know that there comes a midnight hour when everyone has to throw off his mask."
Soren Kierkegaard
There is a Venetian mask-making tradition that goes back centuries, though it has been re-energized in the past decades. The masks begin as white shells and are transformed into the evocative treasures that you see here.
Some complain about the commercialism associated with mask-making in Venice. And it is true that there is a wide range of quality evident: Some pieces are mass produced overseas, while others are unique works of art, hand crafted in Venice. But for good or for ill, masks now have become part of the daily Venetian artistic and retail landscape, and are a source of interest and delight for visitors.
© Visual Ovation Photography
