Along the lively pedestrian thoroughfare of Rio Terà San Leonardo in Cannaregio, the atelier of Ca’ Macana showcases the centuries-old artisanal craft of the Venetian mascararo, celebrated worldwide for revitalising historical papier-mâché mask making and handcrafting the iconic masks for Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut.
At a glance
- Type
- Artisanal mask workshop, gallery & boutique
- Master craft
- Handmade authentic Venetian papier-mâché masks (mascareri)
- Address
- Cannaregio 1374, Rio Terà San Leonardo, 30121 Venezia
- Founded
- 1984 by Mario Belloni
- Notable credits
- Masks for Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut (1999); theatrical and operatic productions across Europe
- Coordinates
- 45.44305° N, 12.32799° E · Open in Google Maps
The art of the Venetian Mascareri
Venetian mask making is one of the lagoon city’s oldest and most prestigious craft traditions. Mask artisans, known as mascareri, were officially recognized as a specialized branch of painters as early as 1271. In April 1436, the Venetian Senate granted them their own independent guild charter (Mariegola), codifying strict regulations to safeguard the secrets of modeling, clay shaping, plaster casting, and wool-paper layering.
During the golden centuries of the Republic of Venice, masks were not merely festive disguises for Carnival: citizens wore the iconic white Bauta, tripartite tricorn hat, and black silk cloak for up to six months a year. Masks guaranteed anonymity during political ballots, theatrical performances, gambling at the ridotti, and everyday public affairs. Following the collapse of the Serenissima in 1797 under Napoleonic conquest, the Venetian mask guild was suppressed and the historic craft virtually vanished for nearly two centuries.
Ca’ Macana & The Renaissance of Papier-Mâché
In 1984, Mario Belloni, a former university researcher in archaeology and history, set out to rediscover and revive the lost techniques of traditional Venetian mask making. Experimenting with historical manuscripts, Belloni reconstructed the authentic process using water-soaked absorbent wool paper (carta lana), organic glues, plaster moulds, and chalk grounds, rejecting modern industrial plastic and rigid resins.
Ca’ Macana rapidly earned international renown for craftsmanship of peerless fidelity. In the late 1990s, legendary filmmaker Stanley Kubrick personally selected Ca’ Macana to design and produce the elaborate ritual masks worn by Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, and the secretive elite in his masterwork Eyes Wide Shut (1999). Their creations have since graced European opera houses, haute couture catwalks, and museum exhibitions worldwide.
The Cannaregio Atelier & Entrance Portal
While Ca’ Macana’s historic primary production studio is located in Dorsoduro near Campo San Barnaba, this prominent Cannaregio atelier at civico 1374 serves as their flagship showroom on the northern walking axis connecting the railway station to the Rialto. The entrance is marked by a trompe-l’œil carved baroque architectural portal: an arched pediment topped by the sculpted bearded head of an ancient mask-maker keystone, supported by gilded herms and classical volutes.
Behind the large glass vitrines lies a spectacular labyrinth of wearable art: classical historical archetypes (the Bauta, the velvet-covered female Moretta, and the beaked Medico della Peste devised during the 1630 plague) displayed alongside Commedia dell’Arte figures (Arlecchino, Pantalone, Colombina) and vibrant baroque fantasy creations adorned with gold leaf, macramé lace, and hand-burnished oil pigments.
Practical information
- Opening hours: Typically open daily from 10:00 to 19:30 (seasonal variations may apply)
- Authenticity guarantee: Every piece is 100% handcrafted in Venice with certificate of authenticity
- Workshops & courses: Hands-on mask-making and decoration workshops for adults and children are held regularly at Ca’ Macana’s dedicated laboratory in Dorsoduro (Calle delle Botteghe 3172)
- Official website: camacana.com
Getting there
From Santa Lucia railway station or Piazzale Roma, walk east across Ponte degli Scalzi or Ponte delle Guglie along the main pedestrian thoroughfare (Rio Terà Lista di Spagna / Rio Terà San Leonardo). The atelier is situated at Cannaregio 1374, midway between Ponte delle Guglie and Campo San Marcuola (approx. 5 minutes’ walk from Guglie). By vaporetto, take Line 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, or 5.2 to the Guglie stop, or Line 1 or 2 to San Marcuola.
Nearby
- Ponte delle Guglie — Monumental stone bridge with carved obelisks, 150 m west
- Ghetto di Venezia — Historic Jewish Ghetto founded in 1516, 200 m northwest
- Palazzo Labia — Magnificent baroque palace with Tiepolo frescoes, 200 m west
- Chiesa dei Santi Apostoli — Historic church with Tirali’s campanile, 600 m east
Sources & References
- Belloni, Mario. Maschere a Venezia: Storia e Arte dei Mascareri. Ca’ Macana Editore.
- Tassini, Giuseppe. Curiosità Veneziane: note storiche e tradizionali.
- Associazione Mascareri Veneziani: Guild history and statutes of 1436.
- Geographical coordinates: 45.44305, 12.32799.
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See this place and what’s around it →Record researched and written by Carla Szathvary for Cultural Heritage Online, 2026.
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