Laws and traditions

Purpose of Carnival is to create fun. If this fun is obtained without rules, even if moral only, risk to degenerate is always present. For this reason, “Serenissima” Government issued laws in this topic in several moments.

In a document dated in year 1268, Government prohibited men with masks to play with eggs (masked men threw eggs filled with perfume to ladies). In the beginning of XIV century, Senate proposed laws to limit licentiousness of Venetians: masks could not walk during the night in the city of Venice, female masks could not access into church or convents.

Carnival in the beginning was a cultural moment, but during centuries became an economic result. By inviting or attracting important personages from all Europe, a lot of money arrived into “Serenissima” Treasury, in crisis after new world (America) discovery. New world offered new fertile lands, without limitations, with a lot of spices, and less far than Asia, which was very problematic for presence of Ottoman Empire and not sure time to import precious goods from those lands.

Venice was a city where a lot of people, from different places and different races, arrived and for this reason it was a neuralgic and metropolitan point in Europe for spy activity. To be precise, secret accusations received between year 1588 and year 1647 created a lot of confusions…. And Senate has been obliged to issue a rule: “Council of Ten accept with 2/3 of polls, secret handwritten charges for false oaths, brag-men, vagabonds, exchanges and barters, if all these are referred to masks, ships and harquebuses…”

Many descriptions on traditions on Venetian carnival are on “chronicles” of Sanudo, for XVI century.

Masks, with anonymity license, have been used over their possibility… In XVII century, to wear a mask was a status-symbol, Venice Republic Government had to decree new rigid rules: it was forbidden to have a mask in face during not carnival periods, in religious places, no fire-arms, no noises and masks only allowed in specific time. Prostitutes could not have masks in public. Men could not mask as women, and viceversa.

After and at the end of XVII century, bauta as mask is due in official party and receptions and in wine-pubs.

To be precise, thousands of masks went to St. Moisé casino, public club of Government property, was principal point during carnival, between year 1638 and 1774 (period when it was open) . As it is readable on Club St.Moisé statute, people who could not wear a mask, were croupiers and and impoverished Venice nobility.

History of Carnival in Venice