Il Carnevale Italiano Mascherato Oue si Veggono in Figura Varie Inuetione di capritii Fra(nces) Bert(ell)

Art Historical Context

Francesco Bertelli’s *Il Carnevale Italiano Mascherato* (1642) is a charming pocket volume that captures the lively spirit of Italian Carnival. Published as a book with twenty-four engraved plates, it presents a series of masked figures and whimsical costumes drawn from the festive traditions of seventeenth-century Italy. The compact format—roughly the size of a modern paperback—suggests it was intended for personal enjoyment, allowing viewers to flip through inventive “caprices” of dress and disguise wherever they wished. In the Baroque era, Carnival was a cherished public celebration marked by elaborate masks, social mixing, and theatrical display. Bertelli’s engravings preserve these fleeting moments, documenting the variety of human figures that paraded through city streets. Each plate highlights the artistry of costume design, from exaggerated headdresses to fantastical animal disguises, reflecting both popular entertainment and the period’s fascination with transformation and spectacle. Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum in 2009, this rare volume offers today’s visitors an intimate glimpse into a centuries-old cultural ritual. Its delicate line work and focus on human character continue to delight, reminding us how printmaking once helped spread the joy and creativity of Carnival far beyond its original celebrations.