The Beautiful People of Venice
Carnivale – As we stepped out of the Santa Lucia station, I saw what I’ve been dreaming of for as long as I can remember. The crystal waters splashing against the gondolas floating by made my heart skip a beat. Nothing prepares you for the beauty of the people of carnival.
My friends and I spent the first afternoon walking the streets. The city was crowded with twenty-somethings dressed in halloween costumes, men and women dressed like 10s of the Renaissance age, and everyone else in a sparkling, hand-painted carnival mask. Every street we turned down had music playing, people laughing and dancing, and Aperol spritz being spilled. About half an hour before sunset, we turned down the street leading to Piazza del San Marco. As we moved closer to the basilica my jaw began to drop. The sun was hitting the basilica’s artwork and standing below, right in front of the cathedral, was a group of people dressed in these huge golden gowns posing for a picture.
I turned and saw another group dressed in black gothic clothing circling together laughing. Two men walked by dressed in black and gold Renaissance suits with matching headdresses and golden walking canes with fire coming from them. I then realized that everywhere I turned there was someone even more stunning. Do you remember that feeling you would get as a kid when you saw something so amazing that you couldn’t help but stop in your tracks and stare in awe? That is how I felt at that exact moment. For the next three hours, I was running around the square like a kid in a candy store saying, “Scusami posso fare una foto?” [Excuse me, can I take a photo?] to as many people as I could.
For a girl who loves fashion, seeing these gowns and costumes was breathtaking, and as an aspiring designer, the extravagance of the carnival was inspirational. From peacock feathers to spinning hats and purses, to porcelain masks, the design and creativity were endless. Everything was shiny, big, bold, and glamorous. It felt as if I stepped onto the set of Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. It made me want to run away to Venice and create carnival masks for the rest of my life – I can’t promise this won’t happen.
Throughout the weekend, my friends and I visited a few mask shops where the masks were handmade by the designer and family. These were made of paper mache or clay/paper-based material. In the shops, there were sculpted castings in which they would mold the paper to create the shape of the mask. My friend ended up buying one of the traditional masks, “the plague doctor”. This mask was used by doctors during the medieval plague, later being used during carnival week on Fat Tuesday as a “memento mori” to remind people to return to reality.
The magic of carnival stems from the celebratory tradition, dress, and celebration, but also from the uniqueness of Venice. With the gothic architecture looming above, walking through the streets felt like an ancient maze. With the carnival costumes everywhere, it did feel like we had stepped back into a time of royalty and renaissance. On carnival eve (or as Tulanians know it, Tequila Sunrise), my friends and I walked back to the hotel from a dinner of pasta and wine and stumbled upon a group of people dancing and singing in the square near the canal. There weren’t a lot of people out, and it was dark and eerie from the dim street lighting, but it felt exciting and mysterious – the same way dark lipstick or red wine makes you feel. That’s what Venice feels like to me. It has a side that you don’t see in the light.
Venice at carnival time is one of the most extraordinary things I have experienced. Learning of these different Italian traditions at carnival time reminded me of my beloved home, Louisiana, and our traditions during the carnival. After 21 years, this was only my second time missing Mardi Gras and I was feeling homesick missing some of my favorite festivities. Yet, being in Venice showed me the importance of experiencing new cultures and traditions, and seeing the beautiful people of a different world.
<3 Taylor
