Bauta

My name is BAUTA

I am famous through the Carnival of Venice. My mask is the main type of mask worn during the Carnival. My character was also used on many occasions as a device for hiding the wearer's identity and social status. I would allow the wearer to act more freely in cases where he or she wanted to interact with other members of the society outside the limits of identity and everyday convention. My character was useful for a myriad of purposes, some of them illegal or criminal, while others were just personal, such as romantic encounters.

My name does not have a definite interpretation. It may have come from the German "behten" (to protect), as well as from "bau"(or "babau"), a typical Italian representation of the monster, or bad beast, used by adults to scare children. "Se non stai bravo viene il babau e ti porta via …(if you do not behave, the babau will come and take you away …)".

My mask was considered a perfect disguise by kings and princes who could move freely into the city without being recognized, but was worn by strangers too. Fame of the Bauta went on along the Serenissima Republic, with the French and Austrian rules it started to disappear, considered as a reactionary symbol. I am a quiet, ghostlike being. In the centuries, the fashion was to wear a black tricorno (the 3-pointed typical Venetian hat), zendale (long hood made of satin and
macrame), and long cape.

My other names: Larva, Casanova.

You will love me as a part of your Halloween, Mardi Gras, Carnival, or Masquerade costume. My outstanding quality, pristine craftsmanship, and handmade features will make me a stylish decoration for your home or office after the party, an awesome topic of conversation.