Kartaruga

In the heart of Venice there is the Botega, the forge where artisans and artists create and decorate the masks from 1985. The magical and surreal atmosphere of the lagoon city permeates this workshop.

Each papier-mâché mask enshrines an ancestral meaning – the result of a whole tradition – which cannot be underestimated when creating and developing any product.

The Kartaruga workshop contributed with its skills to the modern renaissance of the Venice Carnival, mixing tradition and innovation.

Apart from the Venice Carnival, masks have always played an important role in the history of theatre and, in modern times, of cinema.

Some Kartaruga creations of the last decades have shone on theatre stages and international cinema sets. Among our most remarkable collaborations there are the mask worn in Eyes Wide Shut, in Disney’s Casanova and the exclusive creations for the Cirque du Soleil.

Follow us in this journey across time and you will discover the secrets that Venice hides behind its masks, but also the origins and the meaning of theCommedia dell’Arte masks and of all the other masks created by Kartaruga.