Masquerade c. 1512 - 1515

This watercolour painting titled ‘Masquerade’ was created by an anonymous artist on a sheet of paper. The masquerade was a popular form of entertainment among European elites, offering an opportunity to transgress social norms while concealing one's identity. Here, we see figures with elaborate costumes, face coverings, and swords performing for a group of spectators in a box. We can examine the intersection of power and identity in this image. Are these performers nobles who are temporarily taking on the appearance of commoners, or are they commoners who are given a temporary elevation through performance? What does it mean to 'try on' a different identity, and who has the privilege to do so? The artist leaves these questions unanswered, inviting us to consider the complex ways in which identity and social roles are performed and perceived.