the craft
The mascherari and the papier-mâché mask
How Venetian maskmakers worked and what a papier-mâché blank is.
Reserve your place at the painting bench ↗The craft at a glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Maskmakers | Called mascherari, with their own guild |
| Statute | Dated 10 April 1436 |
| Materials | Leather, porcelain or glass, and today often gesso and gold leaf |
| Papier-mâché | Paper pulp and binder that dries hard |
A guild of their own
Maskmakers had their own laws and a guild, with a statute dated 10 April 1436. They belonged to the fringe of painters.
Faces on plaster
Sign-painters helped them draw faces onto plaster in a range of shapes, paying extreme attention to detail.
Early masks
The original masks were rather simple in design and decoration, and often had a symbolic and practical function.
Gesso and gold
Today most Italian masks are made with gesso and gold leaf and are hand-painted, with natural feathers and gems.
The papier-mâché blank
Papier-mâché is shredded paper mixed with water and a binder. It dries to a hard, light surface and can take complicated shapes.
Your part
At a workshop you take the blank and decorate it. Guests describe the paints and the finishing touches as the heart of the hour.