Mask Types in Venice

The following is a very very brief and summarized of mask types. It's meant to give a brief overview.

A majority of the maschera models in Venice tend to favor the "volto" mask, which completely hides their face. The volto is not a completely historically accurate Venetian mask (except for the moretta, which was an all black velvet mask made for women held in place by their teeth, which was supposed to add to their mysterious air. You were supposed to charm a man without necessarily "talking" -- ala Little Mermaid.)

The Volto Mask type

In terms of other masks, there are the different traditional types: "bauta", the Venetial "plague doctor" (or anything with a very long ibis-like nose), and the half-mask, etc. You see quite a bit of the bauta, the beaked mask a little less so, and the moretta is extremely rare.

The traditional bauta mask allows you to eat and drink without removing it as it jets out from the face by several inches. It's also known as a "spoon mask.

The Bauta Mask type

The plague doctor mask was said to protect you from various diseases with its very long nose.

The Plague Doctor & Volto Mask type

Visitors and tourists will often wear the half-mask variety more frequently than the other types, whether or not they are in costume, as these tend to be cheaper than other masks and you can get them from any street vendor (being mass produced in China.)

The initial purpose of the mask was to completely conceal the identity of the wearer so that they could enjoy in the festivities of Carnivale and let commoner intermingle with the elite, so almost-full face mask coverings were popular.

As time went on, people wore masks throughout the year, you were forgiven anything (much like if you're drunk in Japan, no one faults you...). However, after a time, the Venetian government outlawed them during certain times of the year (religious holidays) and from wearing them in certain buildings (i.e. churches). Men were prohibited from dressing as women, and vice versa.