Venice Incognito

Masks in the Serene Republic

James H Johnson author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:University of California Press

Published:10th May '11

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

Venice Incognito cover

'The entire town is disguised', declared a French tourist of eighteenth-century Venice. And, indeed, maskers of all ranks - nobles, clergy, imposters, seducers, con men - could be found mixing at every level of Venetian society. Even a pious nun donned a mask and male attire for her liaison with the libertine Casanova. In "Venice Incognito", James H. Johnson offers a spirited analysis of masking in this carnival-loving city. He draws on a wealth of material to explore the world view of maskers, both during and outside of carnival, and reconstructs their logic: covering the face in public was a uniquely Venetian response to one of the most rigid class hierarchies in European history. This vivid account goes beyond common views that masking was about forgetting the past and minding the muse of pleasure to offer fresh insight into the historical construction of identity.

"Refreshingly well-written and thought-provoking." Art Newspaper "Comprehensively researched, insightful reconsideration of the function of masks and masking... Highly recommended." Choice "Perceptive, gracefully written, and well-illustrated... A vivid introduction to Venetian culture." -- Peter Burke Emmanuel College, Cambridge University Journal Of Modern History

ISBN: 9780520267718

Dimensions: 229mm x 152mm x 36mm

Weight: 680g

336 pages