As Venice commemorates its legacy as a historic gateway between Europe and Asia in 2026, traditional mask-making continues to captivate global audiences. At Ca' Macana workshop, master artisan Davide Belloni upholds a 500-year-old craft, sculpting papier-mâché masks that once enabled social equality in Venice's stratified society.
"These masks were Europe's first great social equalizer," Belloni explains while gilding a Bauta design. "Today, they've evolved into cross-cultural canvases – we incorporate motifs from Japanese Noh theater to Persian miniature art."
Recent demand from Asian collectors has surged, with 40% of Ca' Macana's 2025 exports destined for galleries in Seoul and Singapore. The trend reflects growing appreciation for heritage crafts that embody historical East-West exchange.
For Venice's 1,200 resident artisans, maintaining traditional techniques while adapting to contemporary tastes remains crucial. As cultural tourism rebounds across Asia and Europe, these handcrafted masks continue serving as both artistic statements and tangible connections to shared transnational history.
