With mask in hand

Not every pictured masquerade costume in the 18th century includes a mask and not every costume is a costume, it may be perfectly ordinary clothes with a mask added. This post is dedicated to pictures where the mask is not worn, but held in the hand.

Plain black masks. This one is still unusual as it is a half-mask and with red ribbons to tie it around the head.

Marie Madeleine Mazade by Hyacinthe Rigaud, 1734

The Moretta mask, a woman's mask, is a plain black velvet mask with no mouth opening and it was held in place with a button on the inside that teh bearer held between her teeth. These seem to be variations of that one. I like that her hair isn't totally powdered, but just applied around the face.

By Hyacinthe Rigaud, painted before 1743

A rather sad-eyed version.

Felicità Sartori by Rosalba Carriera ,1740

 Young girl with mask by  Charles-Antoine Coypel, 1745)

Madame Joseph Nicolas Pancrace Royer by Jean-Marc Natier, ca. 1750

I have seen pictures of the actual painting, but haven't been able to locate it on the Web, unfortunately

Engraving of Madame de Mouchy, after a painting by Charles Coypel



Maskerade by Antoine Watteau  c.1717

By Jean-Baptiste Santerre, painted before 1717

David Garrick and Hannah Pritchard playing opposite each other in the Suspicious Husband, artist and date unknown



This must be one of the cutest masquerade costumes ever!

ca. 1720 Henrietta Hobart, The Hon. Mrs Howard, later Countess of Suffolk,  attributed to Thomas Gibson, ca. 1720



Portrait of a lady, thought to be Madame de Sêrent by Jean-Marc Nattier, 1754



Lady Preparing for Masquerade

There is also a version where the mask is painted like a face with a mask just over the eyes. I wonder if teh effect wasn't a bit spooky.

By Lorenzo Tiepolo, painted before 1776

Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, Queen of Sweden by Antoine Pesne ca. 1744

Empress Maria Theresa by Martin van Meytens, 1744

Baroness Eva Helena Ribbing by Gustaf Lundberg, 1750

Eleonora Gustafa Bonde av Björnö by Jakob Björk

Here there is even patches painted on. I also find her miniature tricorne hat adorable. I think I need one for the next masked ball I attend.

Henriette Sophie Christine von Lüderitz, by Christian Friedrich Reinhold Lisiewski 

Here is the maske without the painted on mask. If anyone feels the title is odd, then perhaps it will get a bit clearer if I say that nun could be sland for a completely different profession...

The Fair Nun Unmasked by Henry Morland

The Beauty Unmasked, engraving

Pictures found at:
http://www.gogmsite.net/
http://18thcenturyblog.com/
http://nevsepic.com.ua/art-i-risovanaya-grafika/444-giacint-rigo-xviiie-hyacinthe-rigaud-145-kartinok.html
http://www.musee-calvet.org/beaux-arts-archeologie/fr/oeuvre/filter/filter/filters%5Bcollection%5D/dessins-francais/filters%5Bvcat_id%5D/3
http://loveisspeed.blogspot.se/
http://www.wikipaintings.org/
http://bookofthomastye.blogspot.se/
http://www.liveinternet.ru/journalshowcomments.php?jpostid=193852621&journalid=2420181&go=next&categ=0
http://lifetakeslemons.wordpress.com/
http://costumedramas.tumblr.com/