Magic de'Venezia

When Dhruva was returning from his three month Cinemadamare visit to Italy, and he was on his final stint in Venice, I said I'd like a little souvenir of his trip. 

He brought me this, saying Venice is known for it's masks.

It's so beautiful, so intricate and exquisite. I just loved it.

It also made me curious, and I read up on the 'Venetian Mask'

And it was fascinating enough to want to share here. The masks have been a part of culture in Venice since antiquity, going back to the 12th century. It was a part of life. Everyone wore them all the time. Practical and Aspirational it said. Historians believe it came as a response to one of the most rigid class structures in the whole of Europe.

With a mask everyone could be what they wanted to be, a common man could become a noble man and a woman could be a man. The morale of society was high, as everyone had an equal voice and said what they believed. So fascinating.

It became so ubiquitous that the government had to pass laws restricting it's usage. It eventually led to it being allowed only during the Venice carnival, a big annual festival, which was also inspiration for the well known Mardi Gras of South America, yet with a rich Italian legacy.

A very random post I know, but then inspiration does come from the most unexpected spaces :)

And as souvenir, it so fits, as I'm talking to Dhruva about his experiences, and one sentence of his which stayed......he said "I now feel I have access to so much more of the world"