Tag: souvenir in Venice

La Bauta Atelier is one of the few workshops in Venice, where papier-mâché masks are produced every day, following the ancient tradition that dates back to the beginning of the 12th century. All their creations are rigorously made and painted entirely by hand, making their masks unique and special, both for wearing on a particular occasion, or to adorn the walls of your homes. In the 15 years of work, the atelier has created more than 500 models, starting from traditional carnival masks, passing through those of the art comedy and even the most modern ones. All their masks come to life from strips of moistened paper, simply processed with flour and water, applied in layers in handmade plaster molds. After drying, the masks are finished with abrasive paper to obtain smooth surfaces, ready for decoration. From here, begins the most beautiful phase, that of decoration, using ancient traditional techniques such as stucco, gold and silver leaf, acrylic colors, decoupage and aged shading with bitumen, finishing with macramé and pearls.   HOW TO GET THERE The nearest vaporetto station is San Toma, where the waterbuses of ACTV Line 1 and 2 are stopping. From there, you can walk about 150 Read more [...]

Ca’ Macana is one of the oldest and finest mask making workshops in Venice. They are known for one main reason: respect for tradition. However, they have been able to interpret tradition in innovative ways, creating new and unique decorative styles and shapes. They craft authentic handmade masks in the same way Venetian artisans would do 800 years ago. On the other hand, they never repeat a decoration, so each mask is unique. Their masks were featured in important film productions like Eyes Wide Shut by Stanley Kubrick and theatres like the Vienna Opera Haus. Thanks to the experience gained, today they also held conferences and courses on the history of Venetian masks and traditional mask-­making techniques.   SHORT HISTORY Ca’ Macana began making masks in 1984, when the Venice Carnival was making a comeback after two centuries of decline. They created their first models for fun, but also as a way to make some money, selling their models on the streets of Venice in the evening, when there were fewer policemen around. Bringing an ancient craft back to life and turning a game into a real work was, and still is today, the most wonderful job in the world! Read more [...]