The Ornamented Being

Follower of Pietro Longhi (Italian, 1702–1785), Bal Masque, 18th century. Oil on canvas. Gift of Lily Carstairs. 1952.62

The Moretta or Servetta Muta (trans: dumb maid-servant) is a black velvet, oval shaped mask that was worn by Venetian ladies. Covering all but the outer edge of the face, the Moretta was secured to the wearer by way of a small bit that was held in place by the teeth. 

By the 18th centaury the use of the Bauta and Moretta masks to conceal the identity of ladies and gentlemen in the gambling houses (Il Ridotti) of Venice had become commonplace.  Many paintings of the crowded parlours of the public ridotto and coffee houses of this period were depicted by the artists Pietro (Falca) Longhi and Giovanni Antonio “Gianantonio” Guardi.

“ The Moretta mask is one of the most traditional designs of Venetian female masks. Originating in France it was quickly taken up by the fashion conscious Venetian women. It is a dark colored mask (hence the name, moretta meaning “a little black one”) depicting intrigue. The Moretta mask was oval in shape with no mouth opening, just eye holes. Traditionally the mask was worn with a veil so giving total anonymity to its wearer. Originally it was made of black velvet the features are expressionless. The mask was held in place by biting on a special button sewn on the inside of the mask using front teeth so rendering the wearer mute. This is why the Moretta mask is also called the Servetta Muta meaning mute maid servant.

The lack of verbal communication this mask imposed meant that Venetian women had to use their body language a lot. It encouraged coquettish behavior; the tilt of the head, the fluttering of eye lashes, the touch of a hand all became an intricate part of flirtation. Its expressionless face meant that the female wearer had to use her body much as a mime artist would today. When worn, the Moretta mask accentuated all the attributes that Venetians considered to be the height of desirability and femininity. In an era where women’s views were seen as unimportant and where the women were judged on their physical attributes alone the mask accentuated the soft feminine lines of the female face but made its wearer unable to speak, eat and/or drink. It really speaks volumes about the treatment of women in the Venetian society.

 The Moretta mask was worn to gambling houses, for affairs and when visiting convents where vows of silence were observed. Its popularity was short lived as by 1760 it had disappeared.. Thankfully todays Moretta masks are designed with ribbon ties to secure it. They can be crafted from leather, cloth or paper mache. Most are still blank in either black or white as tradition dictates. The leather Moretta masks are probably the most comfortable, allowing the skin to breath and molding to the shape of the wearers face.”

A modern interpretation of the Moretta or Servetta Masque

ca. 1720 Henrietta Hobart, The Hon. Mrs Howard, later Countess of Suffolk, in a masquerade dress attributed to Thomas Gibson (Blickling Hall - Blickling, North Norfolk UK)

“This is a masquerade dress, allowing Henrietta’s modiste to raise the hemline. The dress has an ornamental apron. Her bodice flares over her hips like a basque bodice of 100 years earlier, but ends in a point.

Keywords:  1720, Gibson, Henrietta Hobart, Hobart family, Howard family, Countess, British, mistress, George II, straight coiffure, floral headdress, hat, scoop décolletage, epaulettes, three quarter length tight sleeves, engageantes, bows, laced bodice, vee neckline, full skirt, maxi length skirt, apron, shoes, theatrical dress”

 Prinzessin Amalia von Preussen, Pesne, 1740s-50s

 Rosalba Carriera