“The Venice Carnival began in 1162 in celebration of the Venice Republic’s victory over its enemy: the Patriarch of Aquileia. The people of Venice gathered in Saint Mark’s Square (San Marco) to dance and celebrate their victory. Ever since then, the victory was celebrated in the streets of Venice” (Wikipedia).
Carnevale is the most licentious party of all, when everything is permitted, the nobles are allowed to wear poor people’s costumes, prostitutes become princesses, married women and men can choose a different partner for one night, all the roles are inverted for the spirit of rebellious toward the institutions and the desire to break all the social rules. Wearing a mask is a necessity, all that is done on this evening of Mardi Gras must remain forever a secret.
There was a time when Mardi Gras was one of the highlights of my year. Masquerade parties were exceptional and remarkable.
I wanted to be ready just in case some invitation would arrive today. I tried to order this leopard top hat from a guy who makes them in Liverpool, England and didn’t come at all.
I wanted to order this pair of ankle boots, I think the brand is Fausto Puglisi and I couldn’t find a place to order them.
I guess it was not meant to be this year, and I guess no one is doing anything fun this Mardi Gras either. Just last year in February I was celebrating, it all seems so far away now, a long time ago. Today feels empty, and it is grey, on top of all.
Maybe tonight I should go back to Pirandello, an Italian novelist and screenplay writer, who said
“You will learn the hard way that in the long journey of life you will meet many masks and a few faces”
in his novel Uno, Nessuno e Centomila.
The masks we wear these days are far from being funny. Are we getting used to everything being fake and unreal?
Happy Mardi Gras. Ciao,
Valentina
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Copyright © 2021 Valentina Cirasola, All Rights Reserved
Valentina Cirasola is an Italian Interior Designer established in 1990. Often people describe her as “the colorist” as she loves to color her clients’ world and loves to create the unusual. Currently, she consults on colors based on clients’ personalities and lifestyles, she creates atmospheres using the proper lighting that is going to add harmony and peace to the homes and she helps clients creating fantasy rooms instead of typical rooms looking like furniture showrooms. She is the author of six published books, two of which are on design subjects. Amazon and Barnes&Noble
