Wide view of Venice: Piazza San Marco - Riva degli Schiavoni
Etching by Francesco Bertelli: "Maschera da Coltra" - 1642
Francesco Bertelli: "Maschera da Coltra" (Blanket Mask)
Il Carnevale Italiano Mascherato - etching (1642)

MASCHERA DA COLTRA

(Blanket Mask)

"Coltre or Coltri" is a word nowadays little used, which in Italian means "the blankets".

This is an easy-to-make disguise, maybe not totally practical for going around but, trust me, February is usually a pretty cold month in Venice, a blanket may save the day sometimes.

And here in the image we have a clear explanation of the disguise:

“Donne ne la Coperta io stò celato
Perche del fornicar son il peccato”

“Oh women, I am hidden in the blanket
Because I am the sin of fornication”

I would say this is just a funny - and quite obnoxious - way of teasing women. telling them the “how good I am in sex” old story.


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