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- Dictionarymasque/mɑːsk/
noun
- 1. a form of amateur dramatic entertainment, popular among the nobility in 16th- and 17th-century England, which consisted of dancing and acting performed by masked players.
- 2. variant spelling of mask
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The masque was a form of festive courtly entertainment that flourished in 16th- and early 17th-century Europe, though it was developed earlier in Italy, in forms including the intermedio (a public version of the masque was the pageant).
Masque is a court entertainment in which disguised participants offer gifts to their host and dance. Learn about the origin, evolution, and features of masque in Europe, especially in England, and its relation to opera and antimasque.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Learn the different meanings and uses of the word masque, from a type of masked entertainment to a hair treatment. See examples, synonyms, etymology, and related words.
Masque is a type of theatre entertainment with poetry, singing and dancing, popular in England in the 16th and 17th centuries. Learn more about its history, features and usage, and see examples and translations in different languages.
- What Is A Masque?
- How Did The Masque Start?
- Where Were Masques Performed?
- Masques at The Banqueting House
- Inigo Jones and Masques
- The Death of The English Masque
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To clarify before we go any further, this is not the mask that covers your face (but please, wear a mask!). A masque is “a form of amateur dramatic entertainment, popular among the nobility in 16th- and 17th-century England, which consisted of dancing and acting performed by masked players.” So essentially, it was a play, opera, and dance performan...
Masques originally started in Europe in the ducal court of Burgundy in the 15th century, where the Duke would include semi-allegorical shows as an honour to his guests and a boost to his status. They were staged to celebrate births, marriages, and other significant events. Interestingly, even in early performances, there would usually be a Classica...
The large majority of English masques were performed at court, so they would have been performed in royal palaces (typically in the Great Hall). Many masques were performed at Banqueting House in Whitehall– the only surviving part of the Palace of Whitehall, you can visit it today! Masques weren’t performed in a specific theatre per se, but rather ...
One of the reasons that I love visiting the Banqueting Houseis the history of masques there. They do an excellent job of exploring the history of masques there, and you can actually stand in the place where they were performed. If you head down to the Undercroft, you will find a wonderful mini-exhibition on masques. (The Undercroft was more of a dr...
Yes, Inigo Jones, the architect of places such as Banqueting House itself and the Queen’s House in Greenwich, was also responsible for creating several masques for the royal court. A true Renaissance man, if not a bit late! These were not small little productions, but fully formed with elaborate costumes and complex sets (complete with moving parts...
The last masque performed at the Banqueting House was The Triumph of Peace. It was created by James Shirley in 1633, to mark the birth of James, Duke of York (the future James II). The Inns of Court paid for it, a bill of over £21,000 (which comes to over £1,800,000 today…)- nothing was too good for the king’s son. Charles I and his queen Henrietta...
Learn about the origins, features, and decline of masques, a form of amateur dramatic entertainment popular in 16th- and 17th-century England. Discover how masques were performed at court, who created them, and what they looked like.
A masque is a form of courtly entertainment with music, dancing and acting. Learn about the history, features and examples of masque plays by Shakespeare, such as The Tempest and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
May 23, 2024 · Masques were a form of artistic performance in the 16th and 17th centuries. They were designed to privately entertain a court, such as the courts of King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I, with the public version of a masque being a pageant.
