Carnival is likely an English corruption of carne vale (Late Latin, literally "farewell to meat"), the name Venetians gave to pre-Lenten revelry as early as 1092. Christians of the period observed abstinence from meat throughout Lent, not just on Fridays as became customary among Catholics in the 20th century. The two words eventually fused to become carnevale, and its definition expanded to include a farewell to the temptations of human flesh.
Masks originally served a practical purpose in early Venetian carnival celebrations: concealing the identity of the wearer. The earliest documentation of people wearing masks during carnival comes from a 1268 ordinance passed by Venice's ruling council prohibiting masked men from throwing scented eggs at women. This tradition continued into the 18th Century, when men and women alike wore masks to avoid being recognized in the city's casinos. Usage of masks during carnival declined after 1798, when Venice came under Austrian rule and the celebration became more subdued.
Dances involving participants wearing masks as disguises became a popular event in the royal courts of Europe by the 14th century. At the time, Venice was one of the world's wealthiest and most powerful cities, and its carnival celebration was well-known throughout Europe. Emulation of the city's masked celebrations led to the use of "Venetian masquerade ball" to refer to any dances involving masks.
In the early 1700s, Swiss Count John James Heidegger helped masquerade balls become fashionable in London. From there, the practice spread to Canada and the American colonies. Masquerade balls in the United States sometimes were criticized by conservative religious groups as promoting promiscuity and other forms of immorality. This contributed to a decline in popularity of the events at times, but masquerade balls enjoyed a fashionable resurgence in the latter half of the 20th century.
During the rule of Italy's fascist dictator Benito Mussolini in the 1930s, carnival celebrations were banned. A backlash against authoritarianism following the defeat of Germany and Italy in World War II helped revive interest in carnival and masquerade balls. In 1951, wealthy art collector Carlos de Beistegui hosted an elaborate ball at his recently renovated Palazzo Labia in Venice which was called "the party of the century." Venice's carnival celebration was revived in 1979 and has again become one of the most popular of the world's pre-Lenten spectacles. A series of masked balls are held during carnival.
