6Masks Were Tools of Social Equality, Not Just Disguise
While masks are now associated with elegance and mystery, their original purpose was deeply political.
In a rigidly structured society like Venice, masks allowed nobles, merchants, servants, and foreigners to interact as equals. Social rank, wealth, and profession were temporarily erased, making it possible for people to speak freely, gamble, flirt, or criticize authority without consequence.
For a republic obsessed with order and reputation, this controlled anonymity was both dangerous and essential — a pressure valve for society.
